


Frigid Moon

by wingcatcher



Category: Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven GO
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe, Angst, Apocalypse, Blood, Death, Drama, Firsts, Gore, Horror, Injury, Jealousy, Kissing, Lemon, Loss, M/M, Male Slash, Mild torture, Romance, Sexual Content, Tragedy, Violence, Weapons, but they can be whichever age you'd like, i dunno, they're at least 16 or 17 in my head, underage?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-06-27
Packaged: 2018-01-25 11:32:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 22,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1647101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingcatcher/pseuds/wingcatcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU based in the post-pandemic verse of The Last of Us. A vulture who takes from the lifeless, Saryuu Evan does what he must to survive. But it seems death is always following him like a shadow. Can a promise from a mysterious greenette save him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The God of Death and the Firefly

**Author's Note:**

> This is already on my fanfic account, but I thought: what the heck. I'll post it here too. I hope you guys enjoy it! Oh, and to anybody who's never played The Last of Us, no worries! You don't need to have played in order to understand the story considering it has nothing to do with the game's actual characters or events.
> 
> Also, everything I know about guns comes from The Last of Us, and from a little bit of research using Google. Haha, please correct me if anything is horribly inaccurate. I suck with this sort of thing, and having only handled a gun once in my life... eee, yeah.

February 2032 (WINTER) 

His breath painted the air with it's icy haze as he warily crept down the eerie alleyway. His shoes sank into the snow, generating more sounds than he would have liked as he continued forward, his gun poised in his steady hands as his violet orbs examined the blood splatters that stood out against the pure white blankets of snow.

Saryuu's gaze was hard as it followed the fresh blood trail through the small gap between the two crumbling skyscrapers. His thoughts were calm and collected, unwilling to yield to panic. He'd cleaned out the Infected in this area just the other day... Stragglers? Had he missed some? If so, who had they killed? Either way, if there was a dead body, then he could hopefully loot it of useful supplies.

Saryuu held his breath as he rounded the corner, carefully listening out for the usual groans or clicks of the Infected. The sun was beginning to set, and a few flakes continued to drift from the sky. The city was unnervingly quiet, almost seeming peaceful in it's own eerie sort of way. 

Though that didn't seem to be the case for the corpse that lay propped against the brick wall around the alley's corner. 

The Survivor with hair as white as the snow itself found his violet gaze drawn to the body almost instantly, snapping his gun in it's direction – indicating the paranoia years of surviving had caused him. He lowered it as he took in the body, preparing to check it for any sort of supplies he could swipe for himself. 

The dead weren't in need of them... 

Though Saryuu was quick to realize that 'dead' wasn't the case at all. His eyes widened through surprise when he took in the boy's fluttering eyes, and the way his hands desperately clasped at his side, blood streaming from between his quaking fingers and pooling onto the snow below. His teeth chattered loudly as he struggled to slow the rate at which his crimson red life force poured from him. 

It appeared Saryuu's apparent corpse was very much alive. 

At this rate, however, the teenage boy would die if he left him this way... 

“What happened to you?” Saryuu knelt down before the dying boy, cocking his head slightly. He kept his 9mm pistol on hand, just in case. “You look like hell.” 

Saryuu watched as the boy's head flew up, and his violet eyes locked with minty coloured ones. Panic swam in their depths, though a bitterness was soon to replace it when a dark smile tugged at his lips, his voice weak. “If you're gonna kill me, just do it...” 

“Now why would I do that?” Saryuu's voice was crisp in the winter air. His eyes searched the boy's face as he thought of what to do with him. 

He could put him out of his misery. 

Leave him. 

Wait for him to die and then search his body later. Or even forcefully search his body right then and there. 

Eventually, Saryuu's analyzing eyes took notice of the Firefly pendant that hung around the boy's neck. His violet eyes narrowed, his tone less friendly than before when he spoke next. What the hell would a member of the Fireflies be doing all the way out here? There were no Quarantine Zones close by. FEDRA wasn't around for them to pick a fight with... only Infected. Hunters lived in the town over, but as far as Saryuu knew, this city was as abandoned as any. 

“Who did this to you?” Saryuu asked, reaching a hand out to grasp the Firefly pendant between his fingers. It read 'Fey Lune,' and the Fireflies emblem marked the opposite side. “If you're a Firefly, you better not tell me that you led FEDRA all the way out here.” 

Saryuu had prepared to move locations sometime soon, but if FEDRA was lingering about, he'd do so sooner in order to avoid them. 

He released the pendant, letting it fall back against the boy's chest. 

“So... you're not with them?” the green haired boy, Fey Lune apparently, asked almost hopefully. “Not FEDRA... The Hunters, I mean...” 

“A hunter?” Saryuu frowned, “In a way, I suppose. Though I only kill if necessary.” He may have robbed the dead, but he didn't wait around to murder the innocent. Not like most Hunters did. He was more so a scavenger, if anything. “Why? Are they the ones who hurt you?” 

Fey nodded, though winced in pain afterwards. Saryuu watched as his fingers stiffened against his side, a whimper escaping him. “Y-yeah. In the town over. I was hungry... I didn't think there'd be so many of them...” 

“So what? You stole their supplies?” Saryuu raised an eyebrow, a melodic laugh sounding from him. It seemed he found the situation entertaining, much to Fey's disbelief. “And you managed to make it out half-alive? You have guts. Then again, you're a Firefly. I suppose you'd need them. That, and a certain degree of skill. So tell me – I bet all of that 'follow the light' bullshit so wasn't worth it, by this point, now was it?”

“You're kind of a jerk,” a weak, trembling smile found it's way to the dying boy's lips, “But you know what...? This sounds so, so stupid. But I was always scared of dying alone... That's how I always pictured it'd be. But jerk or not... thanks for finding me. It's not so lonely...” 

Saryuu's heart stopped in his chest at the words, despite his earlier amusement. 

Lonely... 

Saryuu thought back to his friends. 

How many of them had died on their own? How many of them had been pried away from this unforgiving world by icy fingers of death, living their final moments as they drowned in the depths of loneliness and despair - realizing that their life was swiftly ticking away. 

When would it finally be his turn? 

The mere thought left a cold pit in Saryuu's stomach... 

Setting his pistol back into it's holster with a sigh, Saryuu shrugged his backpack off, unzipping it and rummaging through it's contents. A shotgun was attached to it's side, which Fey had begun to eye.

Even through the intense chattering of his teeth, the greenette managed to murmur. “Could...” he choked on his words, “Could you put an end to it? Take it all away?” 

“If you're implying that I shoot you, then no. Ammo is hard to come across. I don't intend on wasting it.” Saryuu didn't even raise his head from where his eyes were glued to his bag as he responded, but his senses were all on high alert – listening out for even the faintest trace of approaching Infected or any other sort of threat. He hated staying in one spot for too long, but it wasn't as if he could carry the boy back to his safe haven. Not in his condition. 

“I suppose that's only fair...” Fey remained lighthearted, despite his misery, “It was selfish of me to ask... Still makes you a jerk though.” 

Saryuu smirked as he fished out a kit of sorts, tossing his bag to the side before shuffling closer to the fallen greenette and hastily opening up the kit's lid – revealing a few medical supplies inside. It didn't seem there was all too much left. 

“Well this 'jerk' isn't going to shoot you, because you're not going to die, got it?” Saryuu said in his silvery voice, looking over his medical supplies before grabbing for a bottle of alcohol and stating, “This is gonna sting like a bitch, but we need to disinfect your wound.” 

Fey blinked at the other, fairly astonished. Why help him? It didn't seem like he'd planned to before... 

“But...why?” he clutched more tightly at his wound, gathering the courage to peer down at it and take in the startling amounts of blood that tainted both the snow and his ragged jacket. “I don't want you to waste any of your medical supplies on me. Those sorts of things are scarce... Save them for somebody else... I'm probably gonna die either way by this point...” 

Saryuu pried Fey's hands away from where they clasped at his side, unzipping the boy's jacket and carefully peeling it from his body before draping it over him like a blanket instead. It would keep him as warm as he could be, while giving Saryuu enough access to treat his wound. 

“Do you want to die?” Saryuu's tone was calm, despite his words as he tugged Fey's shirt up and inspected the wound, “I'm already aware that my medical supplies need replenishing, so how about you shut up and accept my offer before I change my mind about it?” Before Fey could say anything in return, the white haired Survivor concluded in a softer voice, “You'll be fine. It looks like a knife wound? It isn't too deep. You probably would've died from the cold before bleeding out completely.” 

Blood was smeared against the boy's porcelain skin, and so Saryuu dabbed the area around the wound with a cloth before preparing to apply the alcohol. His violet eyes looked up from where they'd been locked on the greenette's side, meeting troubled minty orbs. “Are you ready?” he asked, “I'm going to start by disinfecting the wound, and then from there, I'll apply stitches. Both will hurt a lot, but you'll live.” 

Fey nodded his head silently in quick, shallow motions. The look in his eyes, however, swam with the question of 'why.' Why would he even bother when they were strangers? 

But he didn't protest, instead resting his hands underneath the warmth of his coat. One hand curled around the fabric of his pants as the fingers of his other held his shirt in place for Saryuu, preparing for the onslaught of pain that was to come as he took an unsteady intake of air. He assured himself that he'd be fine... He could handle it... He'd been through unbearable amounts of agony before. Hell, he was already in pain presently. 

He clenched his jaw the moment the alcohol came into contact with his skin, hissing through his teeth before his lips were forced apart and a scream tore it's way from his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly in an automatic response, his side feeling as if it'd been set aflame. His heart throbbed wildly in his chest as his head was overcome with dizziness and racing, unintelligible thoughts. 

Nothing made sense anymore, just the pain as his vision flashed white behind his eyelids. 

When he finally managed to catch his breath, it was shallow and raspy. Eventually, his eyes reluctantly fluttered open, and he fuzzily made out the sight of the white haired boy as he tugged at the black goggles that rested on the top of his head, and placed them over his eyes before he began suturing. The way their pale yellow lenses narrowed his vision helped him focus. 

“You're doing fine,” Saryuu's tone indicated his utmost concentration as he carefully wove the torn skin back together. A bead of sweat ran down his face, his calm exterior doing a flawless job at masking his inner worry. The boy's prior screams would most definitely attract any nearby Clickers or other types of Infected. He could only hope that he really had cleaned them all out the other day...

He listened out for any indication of their approach the entire procedure, though it bugged him that he'd be delayed in his actions by a few seconds considering he'd have to reach for his bag and then ready his shotgun. A few seconds delay alone could result in certain death. 

“Talking may help you cope with the pain, assuming you're capable of even that,” Saryuu offered as he continued with his work, hoping that maybe speech would help him ease his own nerves also. “I mean, I'd offer to hold your hand and all,” he teased, his lips turning up in a smirk, “But I need them both, as you can see. Though, I suppose it's best to assume you're too badass for that, being a Firefly and all.” 

“Are you always a dick?” Fey's voice trembled, but Saryuu could hear the attempted smile in his tone. 

As messed up as the entire situation was, Saryuu couldn't keep from thinking that it was somehow... nice. He couldn't remember the last time he'd spoken with somebody, and frankly, he liked to talk. Normally, he'd talk to himself considering that was the only option available to him, but it wasn't the same when there was no response. 

This however, well it was soothing. He hadn't ever admitted just how much he'd missed the company; of how much he'd missed conversations, asides from those he shared with those attempting to kill him.

“It seems your impression of me is final,” Saryuu laughed, a musical sound that was pleasant to Fey's ears yet tinged with a sort of sarcasm that the injured boy couldn't decipher. Saryuu seemed quite complicated. “And here I thought I'd redeemed myself.” 

“Hmmm,” Fey closed his eyes at the discomfort that followed as Saryuu continued to draw the needle and string through him repeatedly, the pain sharp and the wound continuing to ache from it's prior exposure to the alcohol. It hurt like hell, and he was beginning to feel nauseous. A whimper coming from him, he responded breathlessly, his faint laugh unsteady, “I'll decide once you're finished.”

Any facial features that indicated Saryuu's earlier amusement diminished as he became absorbed in focus yet again, his mouth a tight line. “Which will be soon. It won't take much longer now.” 

He strained his violet eyes, as the sun had now sank into the sky, leaving him with nothing but silver tinged moonlight. With a frustrated sigh, he dragged his backpack closer towards him with his foot, holding the string and needle in place with a single hand as he outstretched the other to click the button on his flashlight. It had been attached to his bag's strap, and he angled it as best as he could before picking back up from where he'd left off. 

Fey's eyes grew soft as he continued to watch the stranger, his appreciation evident. It still troubled him that a complete stranger would come to his aid. In this cruel, unforgiving world most people were out for only themselves. 

This white haired boy, no matter how cynical, was like some sort of guardian angel. Fey's saviour. The gentle swirl of snowflakes that danced around him, and the silver light of the moon that highlighted his features really weren't helping Fey with that belief. 

“C-could...” Fey paused, gritting his teeth through his pain, “What's your name?” 

Saryuu blinked, astonished at the incredibly simple question. But he was quick to recollect himself as he answered rather coolly, his gaze unflinching from where it was fixated on Fey's side,“Saryuu Evan. But you can call me Saru.” 

“Saru?” Fey repeated the name, “Saru as in monkey?” 

Saryuu laughed musically, “Fey Lune, correct? You should be the last to question name meanings. Your name is hardly appropriate for our ruthless, post-pandemic world.” He paused. “Well, this may sound dark, but it may be that it IS fitting that makes it highly inappropriate. I don't believe anybody would wish for such a cruel reminder.” When Fey didn't answer, Saryuu suspected that the boy had no idea what it was he spoke of, so he added, “In Old German, your name's meaning was either 'Doomed' or 'Fated to die.' Not exactly the sort of name I'd wish upon myself.” 

“Yeah, tell that to the injured kid, mister insensitive.” 

Saryuu's smile grew more gentle as he added, “On another note, in French, your name means Faith.” 

The Survivor didn't admit such to the Firefly, but he found Faith far more fitting to the greenette. Despite the hopelessness that'd long ago consumed him, Saryuu found himself feeling even the least bit hopeful with the discovery of this boy. Instead of witnessing death all around him, he'd somehow managed to preserve life. For once... 

“How can my name have two completely different meanings?” Fey asked, his tone both amused yet disbelieving. 

“I don't know... The world was strange before the pandemic hit,” Saryuu shrugged his shoulders, though just barely considering he didn't wish for the vibration of the motion to cause Fey any unnecessary pain. “From books and magazines I've found and read throughout my travels, it all sounds like what they referred to as Fairy Tales. I mean, I can't imagine what it must have been like to live that way. Where their biggest issues were deciding what clothes to wear ; which social groups to be apart of ; what to do with their long lives.” 

Fey nodded in agreement, though what appeared to be longing clouded his minty eyes. It wasn't until Fey spoke as brightly as he could manage through his body's trauma that Saryuu understood why. “But have you ever seen anything in any magazine or book that you really wish you could see or do?” 

“Oh?” Saryuu's smirk returned, “You clearly have.” 

Fey clenched his jaw, taking a deep breath before replying, “You could say that.” A small smile found it's way to his quivering lips. “I've been learning about it through whatever I could, mostly magazines and my papa. It's called soccer, and if I could do one thing from their world, it'd be that.” 

“Soccer?” Saryuu repeated the word, an eyebrow raised, “Isn't that what the old world called a sport? The one where one kicks a ball around?” It was a strange mental image to have. The last thing he could imagine himself doing was kicking around some ball, especially when all he ever did benefited his survival somehow. Did all Fireflies have time to think about such unrealistic things? Why waste time fantasizing when he could be improving his shots and other skills? Or hunting for essential supplies? 

'Maybe because he still has faith...' 

Perhaps Fey's name suited him more so then Saryuu had first considered. 

“That's the one,” Fey closed his eyes, gritting his teeth one final time as Saryuu finished with the last of the sutures. The white haired Survivor withdrew, wiping the cold sweat from his brow and lifting his goggles from his face in order to place them back onto the top of his head. Attentively, he helped the boy back into his jacket. “Papa's the one who told me about it... He was around before the pandemic hit, so he's really knowledgeable.” 

Saryuu stored the med kit back into his bag, swinging it over his shoulders before returning to where he knelt at Fey's side. “You're all patched up. But it's best that you don't move for a while, so I suppose it'd be acceptable for me to take you with me to my safe house.” 

As much as he detested the mere thought of carrying Fey the entire way... It would be dangerous. 

If they were to run into any enemies... well, he'd need to hope that he would notice them before they knew of his own presence. Only then would Saryuu be granted enough time to place Fey down safely and then ready his weapon of choice. But if he was spotted, chances of death – for Fey, in particular – would increase significantly. 

He was hardly fond of such odds, but it was too late to ditch the injured boy. There was no point in that, not after Saryuu had used medical supplies on him. They'd only go to waste, otherwise. He'd chosen to take temporary responsibility of him, whether the greenette was currently useless or not. 

“A-are you sure that's okay?” Fey furrowed his eyebrows, almost worriedly, “Is it far? How will you defend yourself if -” 

Saryuu carefully scooped the boy into his arms, silencing him. Fey was rather surprised as the white haired boy's strong arms snaked beneath his legs. Saryuu's second arm supported Fey's back, and the Survivor lifted himself from where he'd been kneeling as he lifted Fey and cuddled him towards his chest. Despite his earlier protest, Fey's arms automatically locked around Saryuu's neck for extra support. 

“Shut up and let me handle it,” Saryuu breathed out into the icy, night air. “Or would you rather I leave you here in the snow?” 

The greenette fell silent, and so Saryuu made his way forward, hoping not to hear anymore protests as he made his way through the alleyway, emerging out onto a dark street packed with decaying cars and snow dusted debris. It would be difficult to maneuver his way back, considering he wouldn't be able to climb over such obstacles this time. 

Saryuu decided to take the detour, squeezing in-between what cars he could before reaching the opposite side of the road. He avoided ice patches that indicated areas that had been flooded in the warmer temperatures, entering a glass skyscraper that'd once been coated in bright green vegetation. Now, however, the only thing indicating such were the dead vines that continued to entangle the dull building's glass surface. Several windows had been shattered, and so snow had drifted into the building's interior. 

The survivor crept down a snow dusted hallway, it's walls peeling and crumbling in areas. Firefly graffiti coated less damaged areas of the wall's surface, including both their emblem and their motto, 'follow the light.' 

Saryuu narrowed his violet orbs as he intently listened out for any noises that indicated that they were not alone...

Eventually, Saryuu came to a halt as his flashlight illuminated the large gap in the floor. A plank had been set there by another who had obviously needed it to cross in the past, but Saryuu inspected it suspiciously, unconfident that it would hold. The cold temperatures had most likely coated it with ice, making it prone to snapping in half underneath both his and Fey's weight... 

Cursing, he peered down into the splintered hole, his flashlight shimmering against a surface that must have been water. A flooded basement... 

Saryuu didn't know how deep the water's level was. It would be unimaginably cold, and if it was deep enough, they would most likely drown if they fell in. 

If not for Fey, he may have even been able to jump the distance.

Taking a reassuring breath, Saryuu concluded that he had no other choice and so took his chances with the plank. He tested it with his foot first, checking that it still contained any strength at all. Focused, he took a step forward. Fey must have realized what they were doing also, because Saryuu could feel the boy's hold tighten around his neck as he pressed his face into him. “What?” Saryuu mocked in an attempt to help sooth his own nerves. He flinched at the groan the plank made as he achieved the half way point. It was slippery, but manageable, at least. Now, if only it would hold for a few more seconds. “Don't tell me you're scared of heights.” 

“No,” Fey didn't lift his head, which left his voice muffled, “I just don't like dark, ominous basements.” 

“What? Have a bad experience?”

“Who hasn't.” Fey added, “My impression of you hasn't changed, by the way.” 

“Ouch, how about I drop you r-” 

Saryuu choked on his words when he could feel the wood that supported him begin to give away, a piercing crack echoing through the narrow hallway. He leaped the last little bit of distance, landing on the other side of the gap with a thud just as the plank snapped in two with a deafening crunch behind him. 

“Holy crap,” Saryuu heard Fey just barely breathe into his coat, unmoving as his arms remained stiffly wrapped around his neck. 

Saryuu chuckled a bit, recollecting himself before continuing down the hall. He could feel it as Fey gradually began to relax in his hold again. 

As tempting as it was, Saryuu fought the desire to investigate the several offices he passed, telling himself that he'd have to come back and search them for anything useful when he wasn't preoccupied with Fey. For now, he wanted nothing more than to hurry back to his safe haven. 

He froze when they managed to reach the rear side of the skyscraper. They'd taken a few more detours, having to go up and down floors as the path ahead of them was blocked. But now, Saryuu found himself at an opening. Snow and wind whistled in through the window's jagged hole. It appeared large enough for Saryuu to climb through. 

What had halted both his heart and motion, however, were the faint clicking noises that sounded from the other side. 

“I'm going to check things outside beforehand,” Saryuu mentioned as he knelt to the ground and set Fey down on the floor. He placed him against a wall, which supported his back. The greenette hissed in pain, his hands shooting to his side. 

With that, Saryuu dragged a nearby desk over to the opening in the wall, using it as a boost before peering outside. The road here was far clearer than the previous one. He'd be able to move along it without worrying about any obstacles slowing him down. The only thing he'd need to be wary of were ice patches that indicated the flooded areas. 

Continuing forward would have to wait, however. 

The clicking noises from before were far clearer, and it didn't take long before Saryuu took in the form of the Infected Clicker as it walked through the snow with it's distinctive limp. It wandered aimlessly a few feet below, having not noticed him. As it was blind, it didn't take notice of Saryuu's flashlight as it washed over it's grotesque form. The Cordyceps Fungus, like all Clickers, had protruded from it's face, concealing it's eyes and framing it's facial features like some sort of monstrous masquerade mask. 

Saryuu frowned as he crawled back down from the desk and back into the safe interior of the building. Well, it was safe for now, at least... 

He scooped Fey back up, carrying him onto the top of the desk's surface before resting him back down. Saryuu grabbed for his 9mm pistol, releasing it from his holster and pressing it against Fey's fingers until he took it uncertainty.

“There's a lone Clicker out there, and there could be more nearby.” Saryuu whispered, readying his shotgun as he took it from where it'd been strapped to his bag. “You need to stay here, and just in case, if you had to, do you know how to use that?” 

Fey nodded. Thank god. He'd been a Firefly. Saryuu would've been concerned if the boy couldn't even handle a firearm. “Yeah, but-” 

“No buts,” Saryuu continued firmly, “You're useless to me like this. But I do have to ask you to do one painful thing for me. Do you think you can handle it?” He nodded a second time. “Good. Once I jump from this window, I won't be able to get back in here. So when I give the okay, you're going to have to stand up and jump from this opening. Got it? Don't worry, I'll catch you.” 

“Saru, why don't you just take a shot from up here? Wouldn't that be safer?” 

He'd considered it, but shook his head in response. He'd use his shotgun if necessary, but if he could preserve ammo, then that would be best. Having loaded it, just in case, Saryuu placed his shotgun back onto his backpack. “No. Like I said, there may be more of them, so I'll try and stealth kill it. I don't want to attract more than I have to.” His violet eyes narrowed as he asked a second time, his tone sharper then it'd been previous. “You didn't answer my question. Do you think you can handle it or not?” 

“Okay,” Fey tried not to think about the scenario where his sutures burst open at the performance... His frown, however, was more so the result of his own self-deprecation. He hated feeling so useless. First, Saryuu had patched him up, and now he had to lay around as Saryuu threw himself into Clicker territory. He couldn't keep from feeling bitter. “Be careful.” 

“Perfect,” Saryuu directed a small smile at the greenette before climbing through the window and jumping through it. It wasn't all too high, but the crunch of snow beneath his feet as he landed was still enough to grab the Clicker's attention. It stiffened, ceasing all movement asides from the swivelling of it's head as it cried out into the night with it's bone chilling clicks and groans. 

Saryuu remained the way he'd landed – crouched. He moved at a slow, careful pace, his hand brushing along the edge of the shiv he had prepared. The sounds of his feet in the snow, however, made stealth almost impossible. 

Saryuu bit the inside of his mouth as the Clicker went to investigate where he had first landed. But it was quick to catch on to the quiet shuffling of his boots in the snow as he moved, no matter how slow. It's head snapped in his direction, and it crept towards him in it's clumsy array of movements. 

“Fuck,” Saryuu lipped, his eyes searching the ground for any sort of safe spots – an area that was free of snow, maybe. But he spotted something far more helpful instead. 

An empty liquor bottle. 

Saryuu crept over to it, eagerly taking it into his hands before bringing his arm back and throwing it into the wall of a nearby building.

It shattered on impact, exploding into a hundred glass pieces against the wall before spraying onto the snow's surface. It's piercing scream filled the air, and the Clicker was quick to back off, turning it's back on him as it hurried over to the source of the earsplitting noise. 

Saryuu quickly approached it when it's back was still turned, coming up behind it and wrapping an arm around it firmly before driving his shiv into it's throat, it's shrill clicks and miserable screams dying along with it as it sagged to the floor. 

He moved away from the corpse as if it were poison, crouching back down to the ground as he listened out for any signs of any other approaching infected. His heart pounded in his chest as he did so, the adrenaline that'd been pumped into his veins still very much present. The thumping made it difficult for him to distinguish any other sounds as it rung madly in his ears. 

When he was confident that he was alone, Saryuu stood up straight, storing the shiv that would most likely be capable of surviving one more use before the abuse rendered it unusable. 

He moved towards the jagged opening of the building he had been inside previous, his voice seeming louder than he would have liked in the empty air around them once he spoke. “Fey?” he called, “Fey, are you alright? It's safe now, so hurry up. But watch out for the glass edges.” 

An unnoticed sigh of relief followed when Saryuu directed his flashlight's beam towards the shattered window, and he watched as Fey's illuminated form shakily stood and peeked through the gap. He'd stuck the 9mm in his pocket for now, his facial features twisted by the agony of standing. 

He whimpered, clutching at his side before warning Saryuu that he was ready to jump. The white haired boy reassured him that he was prepared, readying his arms and trying to coax him into jumping. 

Once he did, Saryuu caught him with ease, though the impact left Fey hissing through his teeth, the pain dizzying to him. 

Saryuu inspected his clothes for any blood leakage that would indicate broken sutures, but it seemed Fey was fine. Or, as fine as he could be, at least. 

“We're almost there.” Pain or not, Saryuu couldn't keep from thinking that they had no time to stop. He continued down the snow covered road, keeping a look out for any eerie shapes that moved about in the shadowy light of his flashlight. “You can rest when we're safe.” 

Just a few more blocks... 

“I'm fine,” Fey said, “You're the one who just had a one-on-one with the Clicker. It didn't hurt you, did it?” 

“A lone Clicker?” Saryuu laughed, “God no. Do I seem so pathetic?” 

Fey's pained expression lit up faintly with a small smile as he teased, “I didn't take you as the type to be so sensitive.” 

Saryuu simply smirked at that, carrying Fey the remainder of the way in silence as his senses remained on high alert. He grew more and more relieved once the building's dark form came into view, the silver moonlight bathing it as if it were the light at the end of a dark tunnel. 

His flashlight flew over the worn out sign as he approached. It appeared that it had been made up of incandescent lights of some kind, though it had long ago stopped working. A few of the glass letters were severely cracked and the X in Extreme was broken and resting on an angle. 

It read 'The Extreme Rabbit.' In smaller font underneath was 'Nightclub.' 

Inside, broken glass from liquor bottles and overhead lights coated the vast, open floor. A stage of some kind resided in the back, and there was a set of stairs to the right that led to an upper floor. But their metal had already been twisted and broken by the time Saryuu had first come across it, making exploration of the upper floor impossible. 

Strange, plastic appearing chairs and tables that seemed to match were strewn all around, littering random areas of the room. Silver moonlight shown through the windows, acting as the room's one and only light source. 

Light amounts of snow coated the dark coloured floor, having seeped in through any broken windows. 

Saryuu ignored the surroundings, making a beeline for a heavy duty door that was located in the back corner of the apparent nightclub.

He managed to swing it open, despite the awkwardness of having Fey in his arms, and then locked it behind him before making his way down a set of concrete stairs into the nightclub's basement. 

A few pieces of furniture that Saryuu had taken from the upper floor decorated his living quarters, and a bright gas lamp lit it's space as it sat on a centre table. High windows hung on the walls, allowing for the moonlight to flow inside and also aid with lighting the dark room. 

A mattress without a bed frame rested in one of the room's corners, and another corner was occupied with many of his findings and other supplies. There were some cans of food ; a few magazines ; some backup weapons... 

Saryuu went right to the bed, gently laying Fey onto it's surface. He was surprised to see that the greenette had already drifted into sleep somehow, probably having done so when he was still in Saryuu's arms. It didn't look all too peaceful, however. The boy's eyebrows were knitted together and his lashes seemed to flutter ever so slightly. Not even sleep could help him to escape the pain.

Now that the boy was asleep, Saryuu took the time to inspect him for any bites. He wanted to believe that Fey had told him nothing but the truth, but he couldn't be too careful. Better to be safe than sorry, especially when the world was littered with many who were crooked. The last thing he wanted was to wake up to a Fey who attacked him through the disorientation and increased aggression that the infection caused in earlier stages. Glad to find him clear, Saryuu pulled the thin bed blankets over him.

“I've done all I can do for him,” Saryuu muttered, violet eyes flickering over his sleeping form. He wished he had some type of pain killer to give to him. The Hunters in the town over probably did... But bargaining with them was out of the question. Saryuu was proud to say that he was more then confident that he could most definitely take on a group of them in a gun fight, hands down. But that was also out of the question. Not only would it be a large waste of ammo, depending on whether the Hunters had a large amount stashed away for him to take after he'd won, but he was also wary of their tendency to hold grudges.

Groups always seemed to be affiliated, and the last thing he wanted to do was earn himself a grudge from various groups of spread out Hunters who would become hell bent on avenging their buddies. 

For now, however, Saryuu placed his bag next to a chair he seated himself upon, fetching his shotgun and resting it in his lap. Reluctantly, he closed his eyes and told himself that it was okay to sleep now. 

It took quite a bit of time before his instincts settled down enough, allowing for him to relax into the chair, his hands loosely settled upon his gun. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to sleep. All it brought upon him were more nightmares, though these ones weren't real and only a figment of his imagination. That, or resurfaced memories that his guilty mind forced him to relive. 

'You have purpose now... Think about protecting him... Fey...' 

Saryuu turned his head in his chair, taking one last glance at the boy before hesitantly closing his eyes yet again. It was when he encouraged himself that sleep would help him protect the greenette that Saryuu gradually found himself drifting off, his mind growing hazy as he settled into a pit of darkness. Though this time, it didn't feel so cold... 

o O o O o

The rain splattered against the pavement, falling heavily from the dull sky. It ran through Saryuu's white strands of hair and across his tanned skin, staining his face with it's misery as Saryuu's violet eyes dilated in horror.

He gathered the silver object from the ground with trembling fingers, his mind blank in it's inability to accept what it meant. 

“M-Meia?” the words just barely escaped his lips as fear entangled his heart and turned the blood in his veins cold. The silver object in his hand was undoubtedly hers... It was the engagement ring Giris had given to her a few months before. But she wouldn't ever lose it. No way... She never even took the damned thing off her finger. 

It didn't make sense... Not unless she was... 

He couldn't process it. 

Placing the ring into his pocket, Saryuu continued onward, his stomach in knots as he repeatedly chastised himself for letting them split off into groups... “We should have stayed together... Why didn't I stay with them...? First Pino... then Nike... Imusu, Yuuchi, Yokka, Om, Sheep... Why?” 

So much death. 

Too much. 

“Meia... Giris... Please don't leave me... Please...You're all I have left...” 

Not too much further from where he'd found the ring, Saryuu found their bodies. 

Saryuu clasped a hand to his mouth, holding in a strangled cry as the horrors that had once been his friends filled his vision. Mutilated bodies, blood and tangled hair were all that was left. If not for the long, purple hair that was distinctly Meia's, and the black framed glasses of the boy next to her, their corpses would have been unrecognizable... 

This wasn't the work of Hunters or Infected... 

Cannibals. 

Saryuu bowed his head, fighting the burning sensation that tormented his eyes as he fought the urge to throw up. He couldn't look any longer... not at the bodies that had been left mangled, their limbs viciously torn from them so that the cannibals could carry them... 

“Oh god...” Saryuu choked, squeezing his eyes shut as the tears finally came, spilling down his face and mixing with the rain water. “I can't. I can't!” 

“Saru!” 

The white haired boy's eyes snapped open at the distant voice. 

“Meia?” he murmured hopefully, “Giris?” 

The voice answered with another call of his name.

So what? He was going crazy now? 

Saryuu answered thickly, his shoulders quaking as he desperately called out to the voice in which he couldn't see, “Hello!? Is somebody there! Please help me! Don't leave me alone! I can't stand being alone!” 

“Saru! Saru, wake up!” 

The white haired boy's eyes snapped open, his heart hammering through his chest and a gasp tearing it's way from his throat. He could feel hands on him, and so thrashed in response to their touch, his shotgun slipping from his lap and clacking onto the floor below through his panic. 

It wasn't until he'd pushed the greenette to the floor roughly that Saryuu's eyes fluttered, his confusion diminishing when he realized he'd been locked within a nightmare and now resided in reality. 

“Fey!” Saryuu shot up from his chair, staring down at the boy who lay at his feet. He didn't know whether to help him up, or to feel so ashamed that he couldn't even manage to do so. Instead, he tried to appear nonchalant, turning his head away as he muttered, almost bitterly, “I'm sorry...” 

Fey picked himself up from the ground, clutching at his side as he shook his head. “You were having a nightmare... You don't need to apologize. You were crying out in your sleep...” 

“Shouldn't you be resting?” Saryuu seemed to snap, falling back into his chair as he crossed his arms over his chest and avoided the boy's eyes.

“I'm fine,” Fey sat down in the chair opposite of Saryuu, his soft facial features highlighted by the light of the nearby gas lamp as he directed a reassuring smile at him. “I feel a lot better, thanks to you.” 

“Good,” Saryuu's tone was sour, the words tumbling from his mouth before he could even think in his desperate attempt to avoid the subject of his nightmare. He didn't need some stranger to witness him in such a state. It was embarrassing. “Once you're healthy again, it's best for you to leave. So think about where it is you plan to go. Go back to your Firefly friends, or whatever.” 

Fey pressed his lips together tightly, peering into his lap before his minty coloured hues flickered back to Saryuu's violet gaze. “I can't...” he murmured, “I ran away.” 

“Oooh, what a rebel. I'm sure they'll take you back, regardless.” 

The greenette furrowed his eyebrows, the first trace of anger on the boy's face that Saryuu had witnessed thus far. Fey's tone sounded slightly lower, more warning. “You don't know what happened. I'm not going back.” 

Saryuu shrugged his shoulders before leaning down to retrieve his shotgun. He set it on the table next to his chair. “I honestly don't care whether you go back there or not. But you need to sort something out. Trust me. Nothing good would come of it if you stayed here.” 

Everyone around him seemed to meet death. He was a reaper. 

“We're both on our own! So we may as well help each other out,” Fey insisted, raising his voice, “Besides, I owe you! You saved my life, so the least I could do is help you survive. You're like...” he searched for the word, desperate to convey how it was he felt, “You're my saviour!” 

Saryuu couldn't hold back his mocking laugh, which only caused Fey to fight the topic further.

“You think it sounds stupid? Well, of course you do. But you know what? You're a complete asshole, so what should I expect?” Fey's facial expression was mocking in it's own sort of way right then, though it was quickly consumed with sheer determination and raw emotion when he continued, “But if it weren't for you, I would've died today. I would've rotted in some alleyway, alone and scared as I lived the last of my moments wondering if an Infected would find me, or if there was anybody out there who would even remember me!” 

Saryuu's amusement faded from his face as the images of Meia and Giris haunted his mind... 

Had they been scared, knowing that the end was approaching? Had they still been alive as the cannibals had torn their bodies apart?

And what about him? No one remained who would even remember him if he were to die... What did that mean for Meia and Giris, and all the other Survivors he had considered his friends? If he died, who would remember them? 

“You're persistent...” Saryuu propped his elbow against the chair's arm, resting his chin against the surface of his knuckles as he watched Fey with an unwavering gaze. The golden light from the lantern glowed in those fierce eyes. He didn't like it... he didn't like it at all. He wouldn't be able to stand it if he witnessed another ally die. Why was he hurting himself like this? Because he was lonely, and longed for the boy to stay? Because of what he'd said? With an unnoticeable sigh, Saryuu's eyes narrowed and a slight furrow appeared in his brow as he said with a hard gaze, “I'll permit it. But only if you can promise me that you'll never die on me.” 

“What?” Now it was Fey's turn to fight the sardonic look from his face. “But-” 

“Either you promise, or you can leave,” Saryuu stated, his voice cold. 

Fey hesitated, finding the promise to be a childish one. But the serious glint in Saryuu's eyes displayed to him that Saryuu was in need of it. He wasn't joking. Either way, Fey believed that keeping such a promise was an impossible feat in such a harsh world. But despite that, he accepted, regardless. “Okay. I promise.” 

Pleased, Saryuu gave the boy a slight smile through the dimness. “Good...” his tone was warm, “Now get back to bed. It's still the middle of the night.” 

Fey glanced towards one of the many high windows, realizing that Saryuu was indeed correct. The sky was tinged ebony, it's twinkling stars and glowing moon embraced by it's shadowy blanket. 

Fey hesitated at the suggestion, his eyes watching Saryuu and his body unmoving. “You know...” he began cautiously, his minty orbs glowing with both sympathy and a soothing gentleness. “Before we go back to bed, we can talk about your nightmare, if you'd like? I imagine it must be scary to go back to sleep after having it. It might help if you talk about it.” 

“There are a lot of scary things in this world,” Saryuu responded, “But you know what? That's life.” 

“That doesn't mean you can't talk about it if -” 

That spiteful laugh from before returned and Saryuu shook his head at the boy. “And what about the Fireflies? Do you want to talk about that? To tell me why you left?” When Fey silently shook his head, an emotion that looked an awful lot like guilt crossing his facial features, Saryuu laughed even more bitterly, “See? There's some things we each need to keep to ourselves.”

Fey bowed his head, troubled orbs staring into his lap as he bit at his lower lip. He felt bad for prying, as Saryuu was right. If Fey had been in his shoes, he probably would have grown agitated as well. He couldn't stand it when others tried to include themselves in his business. 

Hoping to maybe make it up to him, Fey proposed, tilting his head to the side as he forced a smile, “Then is it okay if we just talk? Not about anything personal... I don't know. Just talk. Talk about anything. I'd like to get some air anyway.” 

“You're hardly fit to go out for a walk,” Saryuu mentioned. But the longer he found himself staring into Fey's face, the more he could feel himself soften somewhat. “Buuut,” he added musically, “If you'd really like, I can take you upstairs and we can lay on a table or something. The windows are mostly shattered, so there'll be plenty of fresh, winter air for you to breathe in. Besides, talking with you sounds charming, so how can I decline?” 

Fey beamed, watching as Saryuu stood from his seat and wandered over to his side. He gently took the boy into his arms, carrying him up the basement stairs.

Just as he'd proposed, he set him down on one of the many tables once they emerged out onto the open, upper floor, sitting down next to him. The air was cold to his lungs, but it was refreshing in a way. He glanced over at Fey, following the eyes that stared up at one of the large windows. A perfect view of the moon was framed there. 

There was something alluring about him... Maybe it was the way he'd fought to stay by his side, despite knowing him for only the past few hours. Or the faith he'd given him by showing him that he was capable of more then just death. Or maybe it was the fierceness of those eyes. Or perhaps it was even the way the moonlight washed over his form right then... 

“So,” Fey turned towards him, catching his stare. He didn't question it, however, instead tilting his head faintly as he asked, “To start, tell me a bit about yourself. I mean, we're partners or something now, so help me get to know you better. Hmmm, what's your favourite colour? Yeah, we can start there.” 

Saryuu thought about it, realizing how rusty he was with simple conversation. “I don't know,” he struggled, bringing a hand to his chin in thought, “Orange, maybe?” 

He thought of sunsets and how witnessing one always reminded him that he'd survived yet another day. That, and the way they painted the sky with swirls of different shades was breathtakingly beautiful. He thought about how he wanted to maybe watch a sunset with Fey someday. 

Definitely orange. 

“For some reason everybody always thinks that's my favourite colour,” Fey smiled, “It's nice, but mine would have to be red.” 

“Red can mean many things,” Saryuu smirked, “Do you associate it with danger? Fire? Passion? Blood? Anger? Beauty? Sacrifice?” 

He was satisfied when he brought on a pleasant sounding laugh. 

“What are you even going on about? I like it because I like it,” Fey let his laughter settle before adding, “What about food? Do you have a favourite food?” 

Saryuu shrugged, “It's not like we have a choice in what we eat. I'm happy, so long as it gets me by. Why? How about you? You've tasted that one thing in particular that you now crave? How charming for you.” 

“I mean, with conditions the way they are, I'm always more than happy to eat whatever it is that's available, but I'll never forget this one type of cereal that my papa found and gave to me when I was little. It was cinnamon flavoured, and I haven't come across it again since. But that just makes the memory all the more special.” Fey smiled, a look that almost seemed sad and somehow nostalgic. “My papa was always looking out for me.” 

Saryuu decided not to ask any questions, concluding that he avoid personal discussions. In such a cold, desolate world the outcome to such questions could be any. The possibilities were countless, and having endured plenty of loss of his own, Saryuu would much rather avoid causing Fey any unwanted thoughts or memories. 

Fey realized that he must have left their conversation off on an awkward note, and so picked up from where he'd left off, switching topics with a forced grin. “You knew that my first name meant Faith, right? How about Lune. Does that mean anything?” 

“It means moon, which is also French...” Saryuu paused as he gazed up at the moon above, “It suits well with Faith. I mean, the moon itself is a beacon: a light in all of this darkness.” 

Fey blushed, uncertain on whether he should take the statement personally or not. Had Saryuu intended to direct the compliment towards him – using his name meaning to indirectly flatter him? Or had Saryuu said such without intending that at all? Fey didn't know how to respond, and so merely found himself staring into Saryuu's violet orbs. 

He couldn't imagine that it'd been meant for him. How the hell was he like a beacon? A light in the darkness? If anything, that was exactly what Saryuu was to him. He'd saved him, after all. 

The air around them fell silent as Saryuu seemed to look off into the sky, gazing at the stars that shone brightly in the sky alongside the moon. 

Fey chose to embrace that comfortable silence, ignoring the ache in his side as he withdrew his stare from the other and followed suit by watching the sky also. 

He didn't know how much time had passed before it was broken, but it'd been long enough for Fey to settle into it considering he jumped when Saryuu next spoke, grasping at his side when a sharp pain followed after the startling motion. 

“What are you thinking about?” 

Fey scrambled for a response, shrugging his shoulders in a shallow motion as he replied rather sheepishly, “I don't know. That the sky's pretty, I guess.” He didn't admit that it was pleasant to be in the other Survivor's company. He hadn't been around anybody his age in quite a while. Hell, he hadn't been around anybody he could consider an ally since he'd left the Fireflies. He added with a teasing smile, “It's about time you asked me a question. Go ahead and throw me another one.” 

“Which weapons are you skilled in using?” Saryuu looked the boy up and down curiously, trying to picture what it was he'd seen Fireflies use when it came to their weapons of choice. He'd seen some wield firearms, while another's skill resided with a bow and arrow. Saryuu shook his head in disapproval at the thought. He liked their ability to stealth kill, but he couldn't keep from finding them to be inconvenient. Perhaps it was his bias for firearms talking. He'd always had a good shot when it came to guns. 

“Right down to business, huh?” Fey gave Saryuu a knowing smile. 

“Well I'd like to know that I can trust you to take care of yourself. I'm not going to babysit you.” 

Fey rose an eyebrow at him challengingly, “I've used a variety of weapons. I'm more an all-rounder then anything, but give me a melee weapon and a rifle, and I'll be just fine. I've also handled molotov cocktails before, so you can trust me with explosive type weapons too. Hmmm, but I don't babysit either. You're not the only one who's worried about being slowed down.” 

Saryuu gave him a dry smile in return to the comment, though he admitted to himself without actually stating such that he was impressed. 

“Go ahead. Ask me another one.” 

“You really like these questions, don't you?” Saryuu smiled, though it wasn't one of his insulting or sarcastic sort of looks. He liked to talk, and having somebody around who didn't mind that... He couldn't remember the last time somebody had given him the inner strength to manage a real smile. “Fine, but after this, I'm taking you back to bed. It's incredibly late, and you need to rest. I'm shocked you're even up.” It took him a few moments of thinking before he asked curiously, having come up with a question for the boy, “Describe what you think of me in five words.” 

The greenette smiled slyly at that, and Saryuu smirked in return, telling himself that he should have known not to expect a sincere answer. “What I think? Well, I think you're sort of passive-aggressive ; a bit of a sarcastic jerk ; an asshole ; somewhat bossy ; stubborn ; moody; complicated.” Fey paused, his sarcasm fading into something that appeared far more genuine as he added, his tone kind, “A saviour.” 

“That's more than five...” Saryuu frowned, “I was being serious, you know.” 

“Oh?” Fey tilted his head to the side innocently, “So was I.” Despite that, his facial features betrayed him in the end, a wobbly smile striking his lips as he tried to keep from laughing. 

“You're so ungrateful,” Saryuu mocked upset, peering into his lap as he thought about getting up and taking Fey to bed now that he'd asked his last question. But at the thought that it was over, the moment they'd shared suddenly seemed to truly sink in. He processed just how precious moments like these were. He didn't ever know when it would be his last. His eyes drifting back up to the sky, he asked quietly, “Is it okay if I ask you just one more question? I promise this will be the last one.” 

Fey nodded his head, his eyes blinking over at the other as they seemed to gently regard the delicate tone of Saryuu's voice. 

“Why did you fight to stay here?” he asked, his gaze unable to break away from the sight of the dark sky as he held his breath, awaiting Fey's answer. He was almost scared to try and locate any sort of reaction that flickered upon the greenette's face. “You keep saying that I'm your saviour, but that doesn't mean anything in this world. You hardly know a thing about me. I could be a psychotic freak who hopes to do all sorts of horrible things to you. The Infection isn't the only thing out there that effects the brain and makes one crazy... Why devote yourself to somebody you hardly even know when you may not even live to see the next morning? Why not just live for yourself?” 

Saryuu's lips pressed together into a tight line as his question neared it's end. He couldn't keep from feeling that he'd said too much. Had he seemed too personal? Too emotional? It wasn't often that he displayed his feelings. He'd always been stubborn that way. 

“How is what you did any different?” Fey shuffled closer, angling his head in a way that allowed for him to peer up into Saryuu's eyes considering they wouldn't turn to meet his own. A sense of warmth glowed from those minty pools as Saryuu reluctantly met their gaze, taking in the small smile on the boy's lips. “I'm a complete stranger too, and yet you decided to use your medical supplies to safe my life. You decided to risk your very own life just to bring me here. Yeah, maybe there are psychos out there. But I could've been one too. I could've been pretending to be hurt, and then jump you when you least expected it. Besides, I'm not going to worry whether I'll be around to live my life the next day or not, because I already made a promise that I'm not gonna die.” 

His smile twitched, appearing more reassuring at that last bit. 

“Fey...” Saryuu merely found himself murmuring the boy's name, taken aback as he remained locked within those welcoming eyes. How had he been so lucky? How had he found something to believe in after hopelessness had engulfed him in it's torment so long ago?

Fey smiled sweetly. “Come on, Saru. Let's go to bed then. You look exhausted.” 

Saryuu stood from the table, stretching before bending back down to take Fey into his arms. The boy seemed to cuddle into his chest, pressing his hands towards it in an attempt to warm up. The winter air was cold, especially when it was so dark. 

As Saryuu approached the basement door, he found himself glancing down at the top of Fey's head, his strands of hair shining dimly in the moonlight. 

Narrowing violet eyes, he had decided. He couldn't lose another person. He couldn't lose Fey. 

He wouldn't let death win this time. Not this round.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd leave a note of the different groups of survivors and such, just for those of you who aren't familiar with the game:
> 
> The Fireflies: An anti-government miltia group. They are fighting a losing war against the military, whom they view as tyrants. They are spread throughout the country, and are one of the few organized groups still searching for a vaccine for the Cordyceps brain infection. Members carry pendants engraved with the group's symbol, and then their name on the opposing side.
> 
> FEDRA: The Federal Disaster Response Agency is the last remnant of the pre-outbreak government. Post-Outbreak, they took control of the Armed Forces and declared martial law, removing all other government departments from power. FEDRA became a military dictatorship, exercising absolute power over the quarantine zones, which prompted the creation of the Fireflies.
> 
> Hunters: Hunters are hostile survivors who have the tendency to kill anyone entering their territory in order to steal their clothes, supplies, and food.
> 
> Tourists: A term used by Hunters which refers to those who enter their territory. 
> 
> Bandits: Bandits raid areas inhabited by other survivors. Unlike Hunters, bandits are known to have a leader, and are also more independent, free-roaming hostile survivors.
> 
> The Infected: Cordyceps brain infection (or CBI) is a parasitic fungus devastating mankind. Nearly 60% of humanity has been either killed or infected by the Cordyceps fungus.
> 
> The fungus infects the human brain, growing inside the brain tissue and killing the brain's cells. This erases the host's memories and drives them insane, modifying their instincts to seek no goal other than spreading the spores to others. Eventually, the fungus will indeed kill it's host and the host's body will release infectious spores. These spores thrive in enclosed spaces, and are unable to spread through open air areas. The Infection can also be spread through bites from living hosts.
> 
> Quarantine Zone: In order to contain the Fungus, FEDRA had the military move all uninfected civilians into large quarantine zones. FEDRA and the Military struggle to maintain control of the various quarantine zones due to a combination of the authoritarian government, growing food shortages, Firefly attacks, and further Cordyceps brain infection outbreaks.
> 
> Those who are clear of infection are ordered by martial law to reside within a quarantine zone. They execute anyone suspected of infection on sight.


	2. Fleeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the two grow closer, it seems so does impending danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frigid Moon is so behind on here. I'm still pretty new to this site, and I keep forgetting to update here, too.

May 2032 (SPRING)

He swallowed thickly, the blade's pressure increasing as it dug into the porcelain skin of his throat. His breath caught in his chest, and the sound of his heartbeat rang in his ears as he could feel Saryuu smirk against his earlobe.

"Come now, Fey," he hummed into the boy's ear, which in turn sent a shiver down the green haired boy's spine, "Don't be foolish."

Fey could feel it as Saryuu's other hand tightened around his hip.

"You haven't killed me yet. This isn't over," Fey barely breathed, feeling as a bead of sweat trailed across his face, "You're always so arrogant."

Saryuu sighed sweetly, his breath warm against the back of Fey's neck. "Oh, well regardless, what do you say we stop with the games and get down to business? This has gone on long enough, wouldn't you agree?"

"I'm not going anywhere. Not until this is over."

"Ah, but did you not promise to stay by my side? You don't have a choice. We're leaving," the snowy haired boy commanded in an enticing whisper.

Fey didn't seem so enticed, however, considering he chuckled darkly in response, the vibrations pressing his skin uncomfortably closer to the blade of Saryuu's crafted shiv. "I already said that I'm not done yet."

Before Saryuu could respond, he was startled as the green haired ex-Firefly jabbed an elbow into his side, disrupting his balance. His arm swung backwards in an unintentional, immediate response, drawing the blade across Fey's throat in a shallow cut. Blood was drawn, flowing towards Fey's collar bone in a thin, crimson trail. But that didn't slow him down as he worked at spinning himself around when Saryuu's hold on him was weakened.

Before Saryuu had the chance to recollect himself at the unexpected blow, Fey leaped at him, an action that knocked the both of them to the library floor. The green haired ex-Firefly pinned Saryuu underneath him, the barrel of his hunting rifle aimed right at his flustered face before the violet eyed survivor could even blink and process what had just happened.

"You couldn't kill me, and that's where you went wrong," Fey's mint tinged eyes narrowed in anticipation of what he was about to do, his finger squeezing around the trigger.

Saryuu lay underneath him, stunned, though was swift to snap out of it. His fluttering, royal purple orbs narrowed, a dangerous glint forming within their depths as his eyebrows drew together in anger and his hands shot up and smacked the gun barrel from his face. "I could've slit your throat, you idiot!"

Fey eased up on his form, securing his hunting rifle back onto his backpack and sitting up straighter against Saryuu's frame. "Yeah, you could have," he could feel the rush of adrenaline begin to die as he peered down into Saryuu's unusually distressed face, "But I trusted that you wouldn't. Besides..." Not even the mixed look of both worry and outrage in the depths of those violet eyes could keep the victorious grin from Fey's face as he extended an arm out and began to trace a lone finger across the surface of Saryuu's goggles. "It looks like I win. So the beach it is."

His facial features softened. "Shut up..." Saryuu's tone didn't sound harsh, but quiet as he pushed the boy's porcelain arm away, bringing his own tanned hand over to Fey's neck. He ran his fingers along it's smooth surface, small amounts of fresh blood smearing their tips. "...You're bleeding. You're too reckless, Fey. If that had been a real fight, you could have ended up very much dead, you know that? Trying to escape a knife to the neck is suicidal."

"I'm fine. It's hardly even a scratch. Besides, don't be so uptight. It wasn't a real fight. Just a competition," Fey's flirtatious (Saryuu swore it was so) gaze lingered for a few moments before he picked himself up from where he sat on the snowy haired boy, offering a hand to him once steadily on his feet.

Saryuu considered refusing the hand before him, though reluctantly clasped onto it and picked himself up off the floor, crossing his arms over his chest as a frown found it's way to his lips. He was far more than displeased with the entire situation, unable to do anything but feel sour about it.

It had all started when they'd been exploring the town they'd recently made it to. They'd been on the move since Spring had started, considering Fey's wound had long since healed. All that remained of it was a jagged, dark pink scar that ran along the pale skin of his side.

They'd come across worn signs, bent and deteriorating though continuing to label specific streets and which sorts of facilities were in which direction. Having passed a sign labelled 'beach' on the way to the library that they currently resided within in a desperate attempt at gathering some more supplies, Fey had basically begged and pleaded for the two of them to make that their next visited location.

Saryuu had denied, suggesting they check the airport instead, as it would be far more likely to provide them with valuable finds. He simply couldn't agree with Fey's desire to go to the beach simply for the beautiful scenery that it would provide them with. Scenery was nice and all, but it couldn't help them survive. It wouldn't feed them, nor load their guns with the ammunition in which they were lacking.

It wasn't until they had reached the library, searching it, that Fey had proclaimed they 'stealth fight' one another in order to come to an agreement. Fey would count to a specified number as Saryuu wandered off to take cover where he pleased. Whoever managed to 'kill' the other first, won. If Fey won, then they would go to the beach, and if Saryuu won, then he'd have his way and their next location would indeed be that of the abandoned airport.

What made Fey's victory all the more frustrating for Saryuu (asides from him being a tad bit of a sore loser), however, was that he'd planned to take Fey to the beach, regardless, as a surprise long before the greenette had even realized there was a beach in the current town they'd found themselves within. He'd hoped to get him down there for when the sun set into the ocean, it's gently swaying surface sparkling vividly as it was gently caressed by the orange sky. He wasn't sure if Fey had ever witnessed anything like it, and so he'd looked forward to surprising him.

So much for that... He'd been so confident that he would win, too...

"Let's just sweep the remainder of the library first, and then we'll go to the beach," Saryuu grumbled, reclaiming the shiv that had slipped from his hand during their struggle. A smidge of crimson coated it's point. He turned away from the other, preparing to search through the cluttered library. A few shelves had tumbled over at some point or another, spilling several books onto the floor. Torn pages also lay at their feet, as well as garbage and other useless materials. His back turned, Saryuu coldly added, "Clean up your neck, would you?"

Fey cocked his head at him, placing a hand on his hip as haughty, minty eyes seemed to burn into the survivor's turned back. Saryuu could hear the mocking traces of victory in Fey's tone when he spoke. "So, what? You're gonna be miffed with me now?" Saryuu's lips pressed more tightly together at the sound of Fey's approaching footsteps. The boy seemed to be prying something out of the depths of his bag as he walked forward, nudging the item into Saryuu's shoulder before dangling it before him once he reached his side.

Saryuu blinked at the bottle of tequila grasped between Fey's fingers, raising an eyebrow questionably. "Tequila?" he said flatly, "What? Am I supposed to make a molotov out of it and burn myself alive, along with my sorrows, Fey?"

"Ha-ha," the ex-Firefly mocked a laugh, "You really don't take losses well, huh?" His previous tone faded after he paused, developing into a sound that seemed far more thoughtful once he continued, "I found it on one of our explorations a few days back, and I had been saving it for crafting into a weapon, but it looks like you might need some. We can drink it together at the beach. It isn't often that we get to do that."

Alcohol, especially a bottle that had been left untouched, was a rare find. And normally when they did happen to stumble across hard liquor, it would be used towards creating the explosive molotov cocktails that were so very effective against hordes of Infected, primarily the deadly Clickers.

Hesitant eyes flickered towards Fey's eager ones. He didn't want to seem as if he were trying to rain on Fey's parade or anything, but his stubbornness permitted him from explaining the main source of his displeasure. It would only make Fey feel bad, and quite frankly, he didn't want to hear Fey's apologies over having blown the surprise.

"Then I suppose it's a date," Saryuu said, eyebrows raised as an uneven smile played on his lips. His tone sounded lighter in his attempt to bury his discouragement. He didn't want Fey to believe that his sourness had been solely caused by his own loss. He'd be lying if he tried to say that it didn't play a part at all, however.

Fey grinned as he shoved the tequila back into his backpack, swinging it back over his shoulder and into place once it was fastened up. "It'll be a lot more romantic than an airport," he teased, bumping Saryuu's side with his hip before jogging ahead of him.

Saryuu merely watched after him sheepishly as he disappeared behind a towering bookshelf, scoping out the remainder of the area. Saryuu did the same, having recalled seeing an undamaged rag and a pair of scissors at one point as they'd stalked one another during their clash of sorts.

"Saru," the snowy haired boy's head perked up at the distant call of his name as he inspected the floors and the old desks that lined the vast space. Graffiti, mangled books and broken computer monitors littered their surfaces, mostly. Fey must have wandered to the other side of the library, based on the volume of his voice. It always made Saryuu feel uneasy. What if something were to happen? How would he protect him, though he'd admitted long ago, that Fey was far more than capable of taking care of himself despite his previous reckless performance. "I think that this place might have been a base for a group of Hunters..."

Saryuu's eyes narrowed, "Oh? And what exactly feeds this theory, Fey?"

"There's an oil barrel over here. It's charred inside, so somebody was using it to keep warm. Plus, there's a few blunt weapons over here too." He paused before adding grimly. "No ammo, though."

"Dammit..." Saryuu muttered underneath his breath. They hadn't come across any ammunition for quite some time now. His pistol had maybe three shots left, while his shotgun had about 6. Fey's rifle was also at 6 shots, though he rarely used it – saving it only for tight situations. As distraught as it left Saryuu at times, Fey often tried to melee an enemy first. "Stay on your guard then. If what you suspect is true, then it's highly likely that we're not alone in this town. They may have simply relocated."

Fey's voice sounded closer as he spoke, which Saryuu quickly realized was more so then he'd realized when the green haired boy came out from behind a book shelf, joining Saryuu at his side. He noticed that Fey had acquired a lead pipe, which he had strapped onto the opposing side of his bag to his rifle. "What should we do?" he asked softly, tilting his head slightly as he placed a hand on Saryuu's arm. "Should we forget about the beach and work at getting out of this town?"

"Have you ever seen a beach before?" was Saryuu's gentle response.

Fey's facial features tensed, "No... But it isn't worth it."

"Who knows when we'll be down by the coast again," the survivor withdrew from Fey's touch, adjusting the goggles that rested in his snow white head of hair before moving onto adjusting the way his bag sat on his back as he prepared to leave the library. "Besides, no place is safe. When it's not Hunters, there's Infected. Or FEDRA. Bandits. Even cannibals. If you're too scared to face a little danger, than you best seek shelter in one of the quarantine zones."

"I was a Firefly, remember? I'd rather die then live in their enforced cities. They're so corrupt..." he gave Saryuu a curious glimpse as he followed after him, any bitterness dissolving from his tone as he asked, "I have obvious reasons to dislike them, but have you ever thought about living in a quarantine zone?"

Saryuu wasn't sure if Fey's acidity was stemmed from maybe being raised a Firefly his entire life, or if maybe FEDRA had done something to him to encourage him to join the firefly's fight in the first place. But he didn't bother to ask. They still hadn't touched the topic of their personal matters, just yet. They'd become close for survivors who had only met a few months ago, but Saryuu wouldn't have complained if they didn't ever open up about personal feelings and experiences. Just having a living being around who was warm when they touched, and who responded to him when he spoke was comforting enough on it's own.

"No," Saryuu didn't turn back to look at him as he spoke coolly, emerging from the library and out into the sun, which brightly lit the streets. The air was refreshing, tinged with salt from the nearby ocean as the breeze gently played with his lightly coloured strands of hair. The jagged pieces that framed his face tickled at his cheeks as they gently caressed their tanned surface. "I've always been able to take care of myself. I never needed their protection."

With squinted eyes, he surveyed the eerily peaceful space around them, searching for any hints that the town was occupied by other survivors, possibly Hunters or other types of hostiles. Fey seemed to be doing the same, his shoulders partially hunched and tense as he tried to listen out for any noise past the loud cries of the seagulls.

"I'm pretty sure you weren't born a badass," Fey laughed lightly as he eased out of his cautious form, practically skipping down the stone steps and heading for the road. Bright green vegetation had begun to protrude from cracks in the concrete, and deep puddles had formed in various areas due to the heavy rainfalls they'd endured back in April. Fey seemed excited about seeing the ocean, despite his concerns. "You must have needed protection at some point."

Saryuu walked after him, brushing the statement aside with his lack of response.

Fey glanced back at him, pressing his lips together, though respected that he'd chosen not to comment on it. He fell back, matching Saryuu's pace and walking at his side as they made their way to the nearby beach. The coastline was in view, and Fey found himself automatically beaming at it's appearance as they drew ever closer.

Saryuu found himself glancing over at the boy who seemed to very well glow, silence having fallen on them after he'd refused to reply. But there was nothing awkward about it. If anything, it was almost nice. Fey didn't seem insulted in any way either, merely looking back and fourth between the approaching beach and Saryuu's watchful eyes. Fey's own orbs would smile at him warmly whenever they met.

"So..." Despite the comfort he found in it, Saryuu couldn't restrain himself from breaking the muteness – not after Fey had looked at him like that. "You've never been to the ocean before?"

Fey shook his head, seeming to close a gap of space between them considering Saryuu swore he was walking even closer then before, "If I have, I don't remember it."

"Assuming it will be rather barren, asides from the two of us, what do you say we stay overnight?" Saryuu offered. If Fey was thrilled at the thought, then just maybe it made up for the fact that his surprise had been ruined. "I bet the stars will appear quite charming on the beach at night."

When they weren't on the move, stargazing was something they both enjoyed doing together before they drifted off into sleep. It had been that way since the very first time they had basked in the moonlight on the same day as their fated meeting.

"Aww, are you trying to apologize for the tantrum you threw after I beat you?" Fey gave him a teasing look, "That's cute, Saru."

"I'm being serious, you know," Saryuu pressed his lips together, his tone dry, "Besides, I did not have a tantrum. You're overreacting."

Fey laughed, "Maybe, but you can't take a joke. C'mon, you know I'm just kidding. But in all seriousness, where would we sleep? You'd just lay out on the sand with me?" He seemed to search Saryuu's face hopefully.

Saryuu scanned the beach, his military boots sinking into the sand as they crossed the border of grass. Further along the shore, he noticed a stranded boat, it's hull having been dragged up onto the beach. "We can always search that boat over there," Saryuu noted, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand as he peered over at it. "It might be habitable, at least for just the night. But we're going to have to scope out the beach first. I'd like to ensure that there aren't any Infected around. Or those Hunters."

But his words seemed to travel far over Fey's head as the green haired boy gaped at the ocean with eyes that sparkled back at it, it's waves gentle as they churned along the shore. He rubbed his shoes through the sand, seeming to test it's unusual, grainy texture.

It was far duller than what he'd seen in magazines, but there was still something so incredibly soothing about it, eeriness aside.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he murmured, mesmerized eyes flickering to Saryuu.

Saryuu's lips quirked up at the corners as he placed a hand around Fey's waist, coaxing him forward until he believed that they were close enough to the water before guiding him down onto the sand next to him, their shoulders brushing. "I'm pleased that you like it."

Fey traced a finger in the sand, testing it against his fingertips next. The curious look written on his face was deemed cute by his snowy haired partner. Whether he'd been with the Fireflies or not, Saryuu had concluded that Fey had been sheltered, or something along those lines at least, considering there seemed to be oh so many sights he hadn't witnessed until joining up with Saryuu. When his facial features glistened with such innocent curiosity, he almost actually appeared his age, and to the survivor, that was precious.

"You said you wanted to stay here overnight, right? Should we do some exploring before we get comfortable?" Fey inhaled sweetly, seeming to enjoy the damp, salty air before his spearmint coloured gaze blinked back to Saryuu, almost shyly. Saryuu couldn't comprehend the cause.

Saryuu shook his head, crossing his legs and splaying his hands into the sand behind him as he reclined slightly, a way of indicating that he was already comfortable. "I'd say that drink sounds quite fetching right about now. We'll search the beach afterwards, though searching that boat over there will take priority. We'll determine whether we can use it as shelter until the morning."

"Sure, but it's pretty strong stuff, you know." Fey shrugged his bag from his shoulders, letting it fall onto the sand before dragging it over to his side and fishing inside of it for the bottle of tequila that he had promised Saryuu before. "We can't go getting buzzed."

Saryuu laughed, a pleasantly crisp sound. "Where did your playful side go, Fey? Don't get all serious on me. Besides, that one other time we did this, were you not intoxicated after two shots?"

Fey gave him a knowing look, "Oh, so that's how you remember it. Saru, you were drunk before me..."

Saryuu shrugged, unable to clearly recall. "Regardless, one shot should be fine. Maybe two."

He reached for the bottle that Fey had retrieved from his bag, but Fey smirked and tugged the bottle away from Saryuu's fingers before prying the lid off. "I think those who can actually hold their liquor, and not just claim that they can, should go first."

"You jerk," Saryuu didn't appear the least bit upset despite his words, simply teasing, "Fireflies must have some crazy parties for you to seem so accustomed to this sort of thing."

Fey merely laughed before he took a deep breath, tilting his head back and then pouring a stream of tequila into his mouth. His throat burned at the hard liquor's touch and he couldn't keep from coughing afterwards, a mix of a sheepish laugh in there somewhere as he choked on his words, "Jeez, that's enough for me."

He passed the bottle to Saryuu, who repeated the process.

They continued to do so a few more times, though took smaller sips rather than indulge in 'downing' it shot style.

Fey set the bottle down at his feet, sighing sweetly as he brought his legs to his chest and laid his chin against their kneecaps. His throat continued to burn, but being able to stare out at the ocean and spend time with Saryuu like this was such a treat... He'd cherish it.

Reluctantly, Fey leaned into Saryuu's nearby frame, resting his head against the surface of the snowy haired boy's shoulder. Maybe his heart felt so warm and fluttery right then, almost as if it were about to melt, because of the setting. Or maybe he'd drank too much. Maybe it was a combination of the both of them, but either way, he smiled lightly as he could feel Saryuu's hand at the back of his head, gently caressing the tips of his flippy hair.

"Fey," the gentle tone of Saryuu's voice as he breathed into his green strands of hair only made Fey's heart feel all the more gooey. "Lift your head for a second."

Fey obeyed, uncertain eyes searching Saryuu's face as he withdrew from the comfort of Saryuu's shoulder. He watched as the white haired boy stood, leaving his spot next to Fey as he dragged his bag to the water's edge. He dug something up from the depths of his backpack, soaking it into the water that would continuously flow backwards and forward as if kissing the sand.

He returned to Fey's side, placing his bag beside him as he held onto the object he had submerged into the cold, salty water. It appeared it'd been the cloth he'd obtained at the library. He extended it towards Fey, carefully dabbing it along the boy's porcelain throat.

The ex-Firefly flinched at the way it stung at first, a quiet gasp coming from his lips before he relaxed into it, flattered that Saryuu had even remembered the cut along his neck.

"T-thanks," Fey smiled.

"Don't thank me," the look on Saryuu's face nearly reminded Fey of the time Saryuu had saved his life. He'd been so absorbed and focused as he'd tended to him. "I'm the one who inflicted it, after all. It's the least I can do."

Fey tilted his head slightly, his facial expression growing warmer – more reassuring. "It's just a scratch. I can more than handle it. It was a play fight, Saru. I'm pretty sure that I left you with bruises and such myself."

"Correct, but you didn't make me bleed..."

"You're too sensitive. More than you show," Fey raised a hand to cup Saryuu's cheek, ensuring that he look him in the eyes as he spoke softly, "But I did hit you kind of hard. For that, I'm sorry too."

Saryuu gave him the faintest smile (it showed mostly in the violet depths of his eyes), finishing up with the dry blood and the shallow cut on Fey's skin. He withdrew, standing back up onto his feet and swinging his bag back over his shoulders. His head felt a little lighter than usual, and it was more than obvious to him by the paired warm feeling that he was nothing more than buzzed on alcohol. He could still hold his own, if it came down to it, however. He wasn't drunk – not even tipsy – and his coordination and such seemed perfectly fine.

He offered a hand out to Fey, the other hand resting on his hip, "Come on, let's look around. We can chitchat some more as we walk along the beach. Charming, no?"

Fey had drank slightly more than him though, and rather than being buzzed, he seemed more so tipsy. He could see it in him when he stood. It was only a slight difference, but Saryuu had been around him long enough to pick up on it.

It didn't seem he was in denial over it, either, his eyes fluttering as he grasped onto Saryuu's tanned hands and picked himself up from the sand. If he was feeling any dizziness, he was quick to shake it off. "I think I had more to drink than I intended," he chuckled, though it was obvious that he'd been sure to monitor it well enough to ensure he was battle ready. Saryuu gave him a double-take, concluding that he was just fine.

"You wanted to start with the boat?" Fey asked as they began to walk along the beach towards it. Their hands had remained linked for a few lingering moments, even as they'd begun to walk, though Fey withdrew his fingertips where they loosely curled around Saryuu's own fingertips. Instead they gripped at the straps of his own backpack.

Almost as if they'd been left feeling empty, Saryuu's own hands began to fidget with the black and purple goggles that rested over his head. "There might be some useful supplies on-board. We may hopefully be able to stay there tonight, even."

Though that would all depend on whether the area was deemed dangerous or not. If the area was prestigious for hordes of Infected or even the group of Hunters who were suspected to have occupied the town, then Saryuu would prefer to leave, whether he'd promised Fey a night out on the beach or not. Regardless they would take turns staying awake throughout the night, so that one of them was always conscious and guarding the other.

Fey and Saryuu approached the wrecked boat with caution, each readying their weapon of choice before boarding. The rotting teak wood of the beached cabin cruiser creaked underneath Saryuu's boots, which caused him to grimace.

Fey approached the cabin first, his fingers tight around his lead pipe as he nudged the cabin door open. He eased up on his form when he took in the room's emptiness. Saryuu lowered his pistol, sighing when he realized that it had appeared that somebody else had already raided it of supplies considering it was rather barren with the exception of the crammed furniture and the two skeletal corpses that rested on the surface of the lounging area.

With a frown, Fey clipped the lead pipe back onto his pack and then moved towards the two bodies. He knelt before them, delicate hands working at searching their clothes for anything that could have been useful to them. Instead, all he managed to acquire from them was a photo of a couple, hand-in-hand and garnished in the most gorgeous clothes Fey had ever seen before.

He recalled the picture his papa had always carried on him. The woman in it, who had been Fey's mother as well as his papa's wife at the time, had been dressed similarly. They were the ceremonial clothes of the old world. The ones worn during a couple's wedding.

"They were married," Fey's eyes flicked up from the picture and to the two corpses, his eyes melancholy, "That's just too sad..."

A solemn sigh escaped Saryuu's lips, and Fey had trouble interpreting whether it was his way of displaying his sympathy for the couple, or whether he was flaunting his disapproval at the way Fey regarded the dead, even after all they had already come to witness. A cold heart was required for survival when enclosed in such brutality.

As a Firefly, Fey had come to witness plenty of death, but he had never ever grown accustomed to it. He didn't want an icy heart. Or at least, not one that was completely so. Only partially. Enough to keep his kindness from becoming an obvious weakness. Considering Saryuu had cared enough to save his life, he was borderline himself.

Respect or not, however, Fey didn't wish to sleep in the same room as them...

"So, um, what should we do wi-"

Saryuu cut him off in a harsh whisper suddenly, his posture tensing and his hand automatically reaching for his pistol, "Shut up! Did you hear that!? Someone's here!"

Fey's eyes widened as he fell silent, clenching his jaw as his heart came to a stand-still in his chest. He held his breath, only releasing it when a strangled cry forced it's way between his lips and his eyes clouded with horror before automatically squeezing shut at the deafening shriek of broken glass that exploded around them.

He ducked to the floor, covering his eyes and face as glass pieces from the broken window darted through the air, clattering against the floor.

Saryuu dashed to his side after swiftly recollecting his own self, "Are you okay?" he frantically asked in a hushed voice, violet orbs sharp with confirmation of his readiness for battle.

Fey nodded at him, reassurance bright in his eyes as he withdrew from Saryuu's touch. "Are they armed?" He crept towards the window, taking his hunting rifle from where it was attached to the side of his bag and into his hands. "What the hell did they use to break the window?"

"No, I didn't hear a gunsho-"

Fey quickly realized the answer to his question, screaming for Saryuu to get down before dropping back to the floor, his hunting rifle underneath him. He'd felt the object whirl inches from his face before hitting the ground, though the blood in his veins didn't go cold until he heard Saryuu's pained cry. Fey's heart stopped beating altogether when he noticed the crimson red blood that stained Saryuu's pure white hair, while also gushing down his face profusely.

Saryuu had readied his pistol, hoping to catch a glimpse of the hostiles who had staged the surprise attack from the broken window. But they went undetected, deeming it impossible for him to take a shot.

And that was when the brick had struck him against the side of the head.

His vision blurred, fuzzing black as his world began to spin. His ears rang, but he could hear the distant cries that came from Fey as he called out his name frantically.

'Saru! Saru, oh god!'

He removed the hands that'd been clutching onto his head, peering down at them and taking in red stained palms with blurred vision.

'Crap! Crap! Saru! Can you hear me!? Please, tell me that you're okay! Saru! Take cover for now! I'll be right back! I'm gonna kill them, and then I'll be back for you! I promise!'

But the voices faded as he fell to the floor with a thud, swallowed by the cold, obscure shadows of unconsciousness.

x x x

He awoke to rage and distraught screams.

'No! Leave him alone!'

Fey...?

'If you touch him, I'll kill you!'

Saryuu's eyelids quivered as he came to, groaning quietly at the way his head throbbed. It was a pain that seemed to spread to all of his facial features, his fluttering eyes aching as nausea settled within the pit of his stomach.

When his eyes finally opened, they squeezed back shut at the intensity of the sunlight that filtered in through the nearby window. His vision was incredibly blurred, and his mind was sluggish as he tried to process what had happened and where he was.

He realized he was sitting up in a chair, and tried to move his hands. His head stung at the clanking sound that followed, and he groggily tried again, slowly grasping onto the fact that his wrists were not capable of fulfilling the motion commanded of them, as they were clasped in metallic chains.

He struggled against them, his thoughts still hazy and his entire body plagued with dizziness. But if there one thing he did know, it was that he was in a dire situation and that he needed to escape.

"Fey?" he called out his partner's name, his confusion evident in his voice as he fuzzily took in the form of the green haired ex-Firefly. Unlike Saryuu, he sat on the wooden tiled floor, his arms forced behind his back and chained to the leg of a nearby table at the wrists.

Their backpacks were located at the room's corner, and Saryuu took in the form of an unfamiliar survivor who stood close by. Two others occupied the room, also. One standing closer to Fey, as the other stood directly behind the chair he'd been imprisoned within.

He turned his head, having sensed them looming over him.

"Saru!" Fey's earlier animosity faded the moment he realized that Saryuu had come to, his full attention redirected at the one he cared and worried so desperately for, "Saru, are you alright!?" Though bitterness was swift to flash back into his eyes when the could-be Hunter walked around Saryuu's chair, indifference towards Fey's pleas written on his face. "Get away from him! He's hurt! Torture me instead!"

Torture?

Saryuu blinked, noticing that the boy with the wavy, dull brown hair who circled his chair held a switch blade tightly in his hand. He ran it's blade's edge along the skin of Saryuu's arm tauntingly, though everything about him remained cold.

Saryuu still couldn't recall what had led up to this, but the pained look in Fey's eyes was enough to encourage him to take action, regardless. "You want to torture me, do you?" he laughed, a dark sound paired with a following sardonic smile. "Do you have questions for me, or is this the sort of thing you bastards do to pass the time? If you're such big, bad Hunters, then should I not be dead by now?"

Fey shook his head from side to side fiercely, his eyebrows furrowed in a display of his desperate desire to protect his partner. Saryuu's heart clenched at the faintest trace of tears that glistened in those wild, minty orbs, though the snowy haired boy's heartache refused to show on his face. He'd do whatever he could to ensure Fey's safety.

"No, Saru, they think we're the Hunters!" Fey cried, his voice cracking, "They want to torture you because they don't believe me! We have to convince them! Please, I can't -"

A second 'Hunter' or whoever – the dark haired one who stood close to Fey – hit him across the face with the plastic handle of his hatchet, silencing him. Fey lurched to the side at the force of the swing, though his binds kept him from falling to the floor completely. The chains dug into his wrists sharply, and he just barely whimpered before attempting to shift into a more comfortable position. Saryuu spotted the visible redness on his porcelain cheek, and it was more than obvious that it would eventually develop into a big, purple bruise.

Saryuu scowled, violet eyes sharp and narrow. Oh, if only they could cut into flesh.

"Leave him out of this!" he tried to sound defying despite his clear lack of power towards the entire situation. "I don't know what that makes you, but we're not Hunters either. We were just passing through this town. But if you want to torture me, then go ahead. Though I promise you each that you'll heavily regret it."

The third and last 'Hunter,' a boy with cinnamon coloured hair, finally spoke. Unlike the other two, his facial expression twisted into something that could almost be interpreted as sympathy. "I think that maybe we should believe them... They seem to be telling the truth. Torturing them is a bit harsh, wouldn't you say? I don't think they're Hunters..."

"Naivety is what gets other people killed, Tenma," the dark haired one shot him down rather sharply.

"If we're the Hunters, then who the hell does that make you people?" Fey snapped, earning himself a second smack to the face.

"I swear, if you fucking hit him one more time..." Saryuu warned, his tone a harsh whisper.

The wavy haired one plunged his switch blade into the back of Saryuu's hands at that, bringing fourth a pained scream as every muscle in his body contracted and an excruciating wave of pain shot through him. He could feel it as the blade's edge tore through skin and nerves, until finally it was removed. His skin seemed to throb, the pain unbearable, even still. It hadn't gone completely through, but there was enough blood bubbling from the wound to restore and worsen his previous dizziness.

"SARU!" Fey jerked forward, wrestling against his chains with a powerful sense of urgency overcoming him and sending him into a berserk state. It didn't matter that the chains cut into his wrists, or that he had no hope in hell of escaping their confinement. All that mattered was that Saryuu's screams had sent him off the edge. He needed to do whatever it took to help him... His saviour. "Get away from him! Don't you dare touch him! I'll -"

Saryuu's hoarse voice cut him off, a smirk playing on his lips as he tried to keep them from quivering at the way his hand burned to the point where it was nearly unbearable. "Calm down, Fey... I'm fine," he craned his neck so that he could peer up into the wavy haired boy's detached face. "Are you satisfied?"

"No," the wavy haired boy spoke for the first time, everything about him unchanging, "You're going to tell us every little detail about your base. You're going to tell us about the supplies you have stashed inside, as well as how many other Hunters there are."

The cinnamon haired one, Tenma, intervened, his tone more insistent. "I really don't think they're with the Hunters..."

"We're not," Saryuu spoke coolly, though it was an insanely difficult process for him to keep his voice smooth, "We're with the Fireflies. Don't believe me? Check Fey's pendant. It should be around his neck."

The two who believed them to be Hunters narrowed their eyes speculatively, clearly doubtful.

Fey rose his head to meet Saryuu's eyes at the statement, their depths lighting up in realization. His Firefly pendant had been tucked underneath his shirt, it's chain the only part of it visible as it hugged around his neck. How had he not thought to display it to them? Sure, it wasn't as if he was a Firefly currently. But they didn't need to know that. Even with a possible concussion, and after enduring torturous amounts of pain, Saryuu had thought to use Fey's past to their advantage.

If only he'd thought of it, then maybe Saryuu wouldn't have had to experience their savage treatment. But he frowned, realizing that he'd been far too blinded by his worries and fears for the other, which had become embodied within his outrage towards those endangering him...

The dark haired boy was the one to approach Fey considering he was closest to him. He knelt down on one knee, giving him the sort of piercing look that told him not to try anything funny. But Fey behaved, meeting the other's golden orbs with a cold glower.

He pressed his lips together, his brow twitching faintly as he could feel the the dark haired one's fingers snake around his pendant, pulling it up from where it'd been dipped into his red and white, three-quarter sleeved shirt.

"I think they may be telling the truth..." he said, inspecting the distinct Fireflies symbol that'd been engraved onto the pendant's scratched up surface. He flipped it, taking in the greenette's name on the opposing side to the Fireflies emblem.

Saryuu's apparent torturer still did not seem so convinced, however, instead questioning the snowy haired survivor suspiciously, "Where's yours?"

He shrugged his shoulders in a quick, shallow motion, chuckling ironically, "I suppose I misplaced it."

"Isn't it enough to see Fey's pendant?" Tenma asked hopefully. The casual use of his name brought him Fey's stare. He didn't word such, but Fey was insulted that somebody who was associated with the group who had brought harm upon Saryuu would even dare to speak his name as if they were friends. "It's obvious that he's a Firefly. We're not like the Hunters. We need to let them go, and to treat the one who is injured, Shindou."

Shindou, the wavy haired survivor, hesitated, "If we let you go, who's to say you won't try to kill us for what we did to you?"

Again, Saryuu shrugged, though more meekly then previous, "You don't."

"We're not like the Hunters, either," despite his lurking fury, Fey tried his utmost to encourage their freedom by proving a desire for peace among their two groups. If they would treat Saryuu's injuries, then forgiveness was a possibility. Maybe. "Clearly, we're all non-hostile survivors here. Maybe we can help each other out."

Shindou's gaze lingered on him for a long while, until finally he sighed, working at undoing the chains that'd been tied around the arms of the chair as well as Saryuu's wrists. Tenma wandered to his side, digging through his backpack until he pulled out a roll of bandages and a few items that could be used for stitching.

"I'll do it," Fey called from his spot on the floor, the dark haired survivor tending to him.

Once released, he restrained himself from jumping any of them in a fit of anger, instead stretching out his sore arms as he made his way to Saryuu's side.

Saryuu regarded his approach with a weak twitch of his lips that must have been a smile. "You okay?" he asked softly, lifting his uninjured arm from where he'd placed it in his lap as the other remained splayed on the chair's arm rest. As Fey knelt down to look into his eyes, Saryuu swept said hand through the greenette's bangs, his fingers hovering down the side of his face from there until a thumb just barely caressed the developing bruise on Fey's cheek.

"I should be asking you that," Fey frowned, gently pushing Saryuu's hand away as he inspected the snowy haired boy's many injuries. Saryuu's hand quivered where he left it, fresh blood continuing to stream from the torn skin. And then there was his head. That was what left Fey the most concerned. The blood that'd gushed from the injury had dried across the surface of his forehead and in thin streams across his face. His hair was also stained and matted, the red – duller than when it had first been spilled – striking against the white strands.

Tenma provided Fey with a chair, which they placed on an angle that enabled Fey to begin treating Saryuu's injuries. He began with Saryuu's hand, dabbing the area with cloth before preparing to apply stitches. "Now it's my turn to stitch you up," he murmured, bringing fourth a smile from the other.

"I'm really sorry for what we did to you..." Tenma stood next to Fey's chair, watching as he began to stitch Saryuu's hand up. "You can stay here for as long as you need to. Please, join us for dinner, even. It's the least we could do."

Shindou nodded his head in agreement, showing the faintest traces of regret for the first time. "Forgive us... We don't like to be wary of all we come across, but it's hard not to be paranoid these days."

Fey understood that much. He hadn't trusted Saryuu when the survivor had first stumbled upon him. He thought for sure that he would have left him for dead. But at the same time, their apologies hadn't dimmed the bitterness he felt at what they'd done, regardless of whether he would've done the same or not. He concluded that they most likely would have, but even so...

"Where are we anyway?" was Fey's only response, his tone calm.

Tenma's smile was friendly, though Fey didn't bother to look into the boy's face to notice, minty eyes focused entirely on Saryuu's hand. "We're in a town house. Asides from being raided of it's resources, it's in pretty good shape. It has three bedrooms, each with a bed and blankets. And don't worry, it's safe. The Hunters are staying on the other side of town," the cinnamon haired boy said helpfully.

Judging by the appearance, Fey concluded that they'd imprisoned them on the lower floor. In what had been a kitchen, it seemed.

"Thanks," Fey said coolly, quavering before he continued in the same tone and with the same, unchanging facial expression, "We can talk some more once I've finished here. Until then, could you leave me alone?"

"I'll start preparing the food," Shindou offered, "Tsurugi, sweep the area before the sun sets." The dark haired one nodded. "And Tenma, stay close by." Before heading out of the room, he lastly added, pointing towards one of the room's corners, "Fey, both your packs are over there if you need them."

With that, the three-man group dispersed. The only one lingering was Tenma, and though Fey could feel his curious eyes on him at times, the cinnamon haired boy respected his request to be left be. Fey completed the last of Saryuu's stitches in silence, moving onto Saryuu's head injury and possible concussion once wrapping Saryuu's hands up in a strip from the roll of bandages that Tenma had provided him with.

It was a good thing their group had enough medical supplies for Saryuu's treatment, considering Fey and Saryuu were lacking their own.

Saryuu pried his goggles from his blood-stained head in his attempt to make access to his head easier for Fey, noticing that a single crack ran across one of it's pale yellow lenses. He placed them into his lap.

Fey finally spoke again as he brushed a hand delicately through Saryuu's matted bangs, examining the blood that caked his forehead before dabbing a cloth over his face and cleaning him up. Saryuu flinched, his head continuing to ache, even still.

"Can you remember anything, Saru?" Fey asked softly as he continued to tend to his head injury.

Saryuu tried to recall, but it was all so hazy. He shrugged. "I feel fine, Fey."

"That wasn't the question... Do you remember what happened? What about the beach? Do you remember spending time with me there?" the ex-Firefly pressed.

Saryuu frowned, the confusion in the depths of his violet eyes enough evidence for Fey to obtain the answer to his question.

"We'll have to keep an eye on that..." The greenette's brow furrowed. It seemed maybe Saryuu really was suffering a concussion. Fey could only hope that rest would be enough for him... If the confusion persisted, or if the head injury was worse then he'd anticipated, Fey wasn't sure of what he could do for him. Medical resources were scarce enough as it was. Where would he get a hold of anything more advanced? The Fireflies would be able to help... They had members with experienced medical knowledge, and also had access to medical supplies that would be impossible to get a hold of otherwise.

But he couldn't go back...

"Make sure to rest, Saru... After we've had something to eat, I think it'd be best for you to go to sleep."

He'd planned on discussing what their next move would be from there with Saryuu, but it didn't seem they had a choice. Fey decided that it would be best for them to stay with Tenma's group of survivors for now. Saryuu would need the rest, and he didn't want him to push himself. He'd made the decision on his own. Saryuu didn't have a choice, partner or not.

"Fey..." Saryuu seemed to nuzzle into Fey's touch before clasping a hand around the boy's porcelain wrist, ceasing it's tender movements across his blood covered face, "Don't look at me like that. I'm fine. Over worrying yourself will get you killed."

Fey directed a teasing smile at him once Saryuu released his wrist and allowed for him to go back to tending to him. "Oh? You mean like how you concern yourself with a mere bruise? Or a shallow cut on my neck?" He wasn't sure if he even recalled that last part, but he figured he'd get the gist of what he was saying, regardless.

Saryuu chuckled, "Are you calling me a hypocrite?"

"Don't think too hard about it," his smile broadened.

Tenma, who had made himself comfortable upon what must have been the kitchen table, didn't wish to interrupt, but he couldn't keep from noting thoughtfully, "You two seem close."

Fey's smile grew more sheepish at the comment, as Saryuu merely hummed in contentment.

Silence ensued a second time as Fey stood, making his way to the back of Saryuu's chair so that he could clean the wound itself. Saryuu flinched at the way it stung, and Fey watched as his tanned fingertips curled at the pain. The faintest whimper escaped his lips, and he pressed them together tightly, exhaling sharply through his nose.

Fey decided not to comment on it, as he'd long ago learned that Saryuu would snap that he was fine when questioned during onslaughts of pain. He hated to let it show, and it made him irritable when it did.

Once satisfied that he'd cleaned the wounded area to the best of his ability with their limited resources, Fey began to wrap the roll of dressing around Saryuu's head, winding it around a few times so that it was secure before tearing it and tucking the end piece in so that the entire thing wouldn't come undone.

Just as he'd begun to neatly place the other group's medical supplies onto the kitchen counter, Saryuu stood up dizzily to retrieve their bags. Fey opened his mouth to insist that he take it easy, but he suppressed himself as Shindou walked back into the room with enough cans of food for everybody, Tsurugi not far behind him. It appeared to be some type of canned pasta paired with tomato sauce, and Shindou had even taken the time to heat them over a fire, judging by the fact that they were warm.

Tenma greeted his partners cheerfully as they began to hand out the food, also providing them each with cutlery they'd apparently salvaged.

"Thanks," Fey's mouth twitched into the smallest smile as he accepted the food, returning to the chair he'd claimed when treating Saryuu. Saryuu joined him, laying their backpacks at their feet. He'd checked them to make sure that each of their supplies was still present.

Shindou smiled sheepishly in return – a look the two wouldn't have ever believed to see from him less than an hour ago. "It's not much. But food is food."

Tenma remained on the table's surface, patting the spot next to him in an attempt to coax Tsurugi next to him, it seemed. Two other kitchen chairs were scattered around said table, one of which being the seat that Shindou claimed for himself.

The atmosphere was awkwardly silent for the first passing moments, each of them taking cautious bites of their warm food. It seemed Tenma desired to break it, considering he would look up from his dinner, and silver eyes would look back and fourth between his own friends, and Fey and Saryuu. But the quiet was to be expected, as it was a tad bit strange for Saryuu and Fey to be treated to dinner by those who had recently held them prisoner. While on the other side, Shindou couldn't keep from feeling both regretful and ashamed of his lack in judgement.

"Umm," Tenma held his fork to his lips, eyes flickering to Fey, "This is probably way overdo. But I'm Matsukaze Tenma!"

"Hmm?" Fey peered up from his can of food curiously, processing what he'd said. It was more than obvious that they were most likely familiar with names by this point, but he figured that it was only proper to formally introduce themselves. "Oh, I'm Fey. Fey Lune. And this -"

"Saru," Saryuu finished for himself flatly.

Tenma didn't seem bothered with Saryuu's curtness, assuming the cinnamon haired boy had even picked up on it. H gestured to his dark haired partner who sat next to him. "This here's Tsurugi Kyousuke!"

"Tenma, I can introduce myself..." was Tsurugi's placid response.

"And I'm Shindou Takuto," Shindou finished, "I can't apologize enough for what we've done to you..."

"We would've done the same," Saryuu admitted, "I take it you've made enemies of the Hunters in this area?"

Shindou took another bite of his pasta before shaking his head slowly, "No. They don't know we're here. We've simply been watching them. They take refuge in a cinema downtown. It's their hangout, and they always have it heavily guarded."

"If you've been analyzing it, then are you planning on surprise attacking them?" Fey asked, a furrow appearing in his brow. Depending on their weaponry, with the three them, there were risks, but they could most definitely hold a candle to the Hunters. They'd gotten the slip on the both of them, even. Still... based on his own personal experiences, Fey knew quite well that Hunters were always grouped together in large numbers. Their numbers alone made them incredibly dangerous. Fey didn't even want to think about the endless supply of weapons they'd helped themselves to throughout their reign here on top of that...

It was a sticky situation he was happy not to be apart of. Though he felt a bit bad for Tenma. As upset as he'd been, he couldn't deny that Tenma seemed like a genuinely nice person. He didn't want him to get hurt, if it could be helped.

Shindou bit the inside of his lip before replying, "Yeah. We're in desperate need of supplies, so I feel that it might be our best option." He paused, adding in a slightly more bitter tone. "Besides, they brutally murder anyone and everyone who passes through this town... I understand that they're trying to survive like the rest of us, but that doesn't make it right. It's their fault that survivors like us are always so paranoid. They deserve what'll be coming to them."

"That they do," Saryuu smirked, "But picking a fight with one group of Hunters will inevitably make an enemy of Hunters in other groups, as well. You know that, right? Are you still up to the challenge?"

"I've already considered all of that..."

Tsurugi and Tenma never once protested, so it seemed it'd been something they'd been discussing, and heavily considering, for quite some time now.

"Perfect," came Saryuu's crisp voice in a musical response. Fey wondered how he could pull it off after all he'd been through that day. It was more then obvious to him that Saryuu was still quite groggy. "Consider Fey and I apart of it."

Shindou gaped at him, uncertainty written all over his face, "What? You'd help us, even after all we d-"

"Saru!" Fey spoke up sharply, cutting Shindou off before he could finish as shock settled within him at Saryuu's statement. He hesitated, the discomfort of their eyes flickering to him as he openly questioned why they would help them causing him to do so. The greenette's eyebrows knitted together, his minty hues narrowing in objection as he spoke rigidly. His self-consciousness brought down the volume of his voice. "Shouldn't we talk about those sorts of decisions together first?"

Saryuu pressed his lips together in a tight line before speaking, making it far more than apparent that he didn't wish to have such a conversation when in the presence of the others. "Yes, but we're in the same boat as they are. We're in desperate need of supplies, Fey," he said rather matter-of-factly. Violet eyes redirected themselves to Shindou, leaving their previous spot on Fey as the ex-Firefly's gaze grew harder. He could feel their blue-green depths burning into him. "So long as we split the spoils evenly among one another, we'll both help with this raid of yours."

"Saru!" Fey snapped his name again, preparing to protest against his partner. Despite Saryuu's usually calm manner, he couldn't keep from rolling his eyes in irritation at the green haired boy. "You're kidding, right? You're in no state to take part in a raid! Are you telling me that you'd manage in a fight with your head all banged up like that? You can hardly walk in a straight line." He paused, folding his arms over his chest and withdrawing his fixed gaze from Saryuu as he muttered once relaxing back into his chair, "I know that we need supplies. That's why I'll go with them. It'd be best for you to stay behind."

Saryuu hated arguing with Fey. He despised it, actually. It didn't always show, but his stomach would end up in knots and he'd find himself feeling lost - scared that he would end up alone again. In a situation like their current one, he would've understood where Fey was coming from. He would have touched Fey's face, as contact between them was always comforting, softly persuading him that he didn't need to worry about him so much. Apart of him may have even felt satisfied by the attention – at knowing that somebody cared enough about him to worry for him and his overall health.

Maybe it was his concussion cramming frustration, embarrassment and irritation into his mind. Or perhaps it was the exhaustion stemmed by the minor torture, and psychological strain that distressing for Fey's safety back then had caused him. Either way, he lashed out at the greenette, his tone harsh, "Shut up, Fey! Don't you dare spout orders at me. I can make decisions for myself. I'm not taking advice from the kid who nearly had himself killed by the same such enemy."

Shindou, Tenma and Tsurugi could only stare, unknowing of whether they should intervene or let them be. The entire scene was indeed awkward for them.

"Oh?" Fey's tone turned to ice after a cynical laugh just barely escaped him,"I'm your partner. Do you know what a partner is, Saryuu?" The use of his real name only indicated how exasperated he was. "It means we're equals! I'm not trying to order you around, I'm looking out for you, you jerk." He bit his lip, muttering, "Besides... you'll only get in the way if you come along."

Saryuu scoffed, "A partnership? I saved you, and then you basically pleaded that I take you in. There wasn't anything equal about it."

Fey's heart sank.

"You're a dick," he murmured as he stood from his chair, retrieving his backpack from where it'd been laying at his feet. He turned away from the white haired survivor, swinging the teal and black bag onto his back before placing his can of food onto the nearby counter with a loud, firm clack.

He pattered out of the room, a hand tight around the strap of his bag. He could hear Saryuu brush off their argument as he spoke to the other three as if it had never happened. He went on to question the three on their fighting abilities – asking what sorts of weapons were available to them and such.

Fey sat himself down on the tattered couch in the other room, tossing his bag from his back and placing it next to him. Porcelain fingers worked at removing his rifle from where it was clipped to his bag, and he took it into his lap along with a rag. He preoccupied himself with maintaining the firearm, unloading it before dismantling it and wiping down each of it's parts with said rag.

It helped to calm him, though his thoughts remained fairly bitter.

"Are you okay?"

The greenette's head flew up at the sound of the compassionate voice, minty orbs seeming to search Tenma's form uncertainly as he gingerly approached. Fey caught the glimmer of concern within those silver irises as Tenma took a seat next to him, watching him before looking over towards the disassembled gun that lay on the worn coffee table in front of them. Currently, Fey worked at wiping down the rifle's barrel, his hand freezing in place against it's surface as he continued to examine the cinnamon haired boy who'd cared enough to check up on him.

With Tenma sitting as close as he was, Fey felt that it was the first time he'd really had a good look at him. He wasn't sure if maybe his hurt had influenced the thought upon him, but he couldn't help but realize that Tenma held an uncanny resemblance to Saryuu, minus the snow white locks of hair and the gorgeous violet eyes that seemed to glow, they were so striking.

The similarities in their facial structure was undeniable ; including the similarity in their small, snub shaped noses, their lips, jawline, and cheek bones. Even their skin complexion was matching, as well as the shape of their round eyes.

He tried to picture Saryuu without that intense gleam in his vivid eyes, a sweeter and gentler air surrounding him as well as his facial features...

Yes, he and Tenma definitely looked rather alike.

He couldn't make up his mind on whether that fact was comforting to him right then, or more so upsetting.

"I'm fine," Fey forced a weak smile, redirecting his gaze to his rifle as his hand thawed and continued with what he had neglected for a few passing moments, "Shouldn't you go back? Saru probably has endless questions for you..."

Tenma shrugged, smiling in return, "Tsurugi knows me well enough to answer in my place. Shindou too. I wanted to make sure you were okay... It's okay to be upset. I told Saru that he wasn't being very nice to you."

"What?" Fey's brow crinkled, his eyes blinking confusedly before he murmured, the astonishment evident in his soft tone, "You did that? W-why?" Why should Tenma feel the need to do something like that? It wasn't his concern. "If you feel guilty because of what your group did, then don't worry about it. I don't need you to try and make up for it."

"I'd be lying if I said that I didn't feel bad about that," Tenma frowned, though it didn't last when he added, a gentleness turning his lips up. His eyebrows remained furrowed, however. "But that isn't why I did it. What he said didn't seem fair to you, so saying something about it seemed like the right thing to do. Besides, we can be friends, right? I like you, Fey." He paused as a bright smile lit up his face, letting his facial features soften yet again before continuing, "And... he didn't say it, but it was more than obvious to me that Saru looked troubled. I think he feels bad."

"Good...So he should." Fey grumbled, pressing his lips together despite the faint blush heating his cheeks up. He was stubborn, but even he couldn't oppose the way his heart soothed at knowing that Saryuu at least regretted what he'd said. Between that, and the way Tenma was treating him – wishing to become his friend, even – how could he not flush? "Hmmm, thanks, Tenma."

Tenma merely beamed, watching with bright eyes as Fey began to reassemble his rifle. Neither spoke another word, not until Fey looked over his rifle one last time and then secured it back onto it's spot on his bag. From there, he unzipped the bag's opening, peering within so that he could search it's insides for a tattered magazine that he'd taken from the library earlier.

The cinnamon haired survivor stared at the magazine with sparkling, silver orbs as Fey placed it in his lap, flipping it over to it's first page. "That's a sports magazine, right?" he broke the lingering silence with his eagerness, leaning in closer to confirm what it was he thought he'd seen. Yup, it was definitely a sports magazine. "Do you like the looks of soccer, Fey?"

Fey glanced over at him, fairly surprised to hear that Tenma was familiar with it, also. It wasn't often that survivors cared for the lifestyles and such of the old world. It was insignificant to them. Many were curious, if anything, but not many indulged in such things during their fleeting moments of peace and quiet. It was nothing more than a waste of time – a distraction that would get you killed.

"Yeah, I do," a genuine smile crossed his lips as he regarded Tenma's question with friendliness, "I like to look through magazines during moments like these. It keeps me motivated. And how about you? You like soccer, Tenma?"

If Tenma's eyes could glitter more than they already had been, that they definitely did as he gestured his sentiment for the sport through the enthusiastic nod of his head. "Yeah. I used to have a ball back when I lived in a quarantine zone. Soldiers took it away after I accidentally kicked it at one of their heads, though," he giggled, "But I've been looking out for one whenever we're on the move. One has to turn up eventually."

"So you've actually seen one in real life!?" Fey exclaimed breathlessly. Tenma's passion must have been contagious, rubbing off on him. He'd never met anybody else who'd shared the same peculiar interest as him. It made it all the more exciting that Tenma appeared to be about his age. His physical similarity to Saryuu was a bonus. He couldn't hold himself back despite both his earlier, cold demeanour, and the fact that Saryuu had left him feeling rattled. Even if it was only temporarily, he didn't feel any such negativity, as the buzz of excitement had drowned it all out. "Can you tell me what it was like?" he asked, dazzled that he was in the presence of somebody who could feed his curiosity, "What does a soccer ball feel like? It's texture? Is it hard to kick around?"

Tenma seemed to be trying to recall. That, or he was trying to think of the best possible way to describe it to the boy. "Hmmm..." he bit at the inside of his lip, "I think that soccer balls are made of leather... So it's surface was kinda hard and slick. I don't really know how to describe it." His look of utmost focus as he attempted to describe it soon lifted, bringing fourth his lightheartedness as he continued. "But when you kick it, it isn't hard so long as you view soccer as your friend. But it's the passes that make soccer the most fun. When you exchange passes with others, you're also exchanging your emotions with them. You can feel it through the ball." He paused to take a desirous breath. "I really want to show that to Tsurugi and Shindou someday..."

Fey had a bit of difficulty understanding what Tenma meant, though the mystery behind it only made him all the more eager to experience it someday.

The greenette encouraged for Tenma to sit closer, leg-against-leg. He centred the magazine, placing it in-between them – where their thighs touched. Neither paid attention to how much time had passed as they looked through the magazine together, admiring what they had in common. Maybe they'd done so for an hour. Maybe more.

The sun filtering in through the window had long ago faded, and at some point, Shindou had wandered in, placing a lit gas lamp on the coffee table. Silver tinged moonlight lit the ebony skies outside, and Fey found himself glancing at it as it glowed like the beacon that it was in the night sky.

Normally, on nights like these, he would've been gazing upon it's charm alongside Saryuu...

With a light sigh, Fey broke away from his and Tenma's enjoyment to sheepishly state, "It's getting late. I think the others have already gone to bed. If you'd like, you can keep the magazine. But I should probably check on Saru."

"Okay," Tenma beamed warmly, "Goodnight. I hope you sleep well. I'll see you in the morning. Oh, and don't worry about staying up on guard duty or anything like that. It's mine and Tsurugi's turn for that tonight."

He was no longer wary of Tenma or his friends. They seemed friendly enough, and were merely trying to survive in the most civil way they could manage. Fey needed to trust them if they were going to take on a group of Hunters together... Trusting them with his life in the night was maybe a start towards their much needed unity, though he'd probably end up staying up anyway.

"Thanks, Tenma," Fey grinned in return, standing from his warm spot on the couch where he'd shared such closeness with the other. He took his bag by the strap with a single hand, continuing to peer down at Tenma with bright eyes. The glowing gas lamp cast shadows across his form, highlighting his facial features with a dim, warm shade of gold. "Good luck with guard duty. Wake me if you need anything, and make sure to fit in some time to sleep."

"Don't worry. Tsurugi and I will take turns," he assured him, his smile appearing faintly more timid.

Tenma stood up after the greenette, clutching onto the gas lamp on the coffee table and bringing it along with them as they ventured upstairs. Tenma pointed Fey in the direction to his and Saryuu's room, claiming that it was the bedroom at the very end of the hall.

They said their final goodnights before Tenma drifted into the room he himself apparently shared with Tsurugi.

Left in the dark, Fey let the moonlight guide him as he wandered to the end of the hall, silver tinged light washing in from the opening to their room. There must have been a decent sized window in there.

He crept inside, green-blue eyes moving aimlessly around the room's mid-sized space, taking in it's towering shelf of books, the cracked television that'd been mounted to the wall, a dusty desk, as well as the many posters that lined the walls which had dulled through both ageing and sun exposure, until finally halting on the bed that sat in the corner. He identified the lump in it's bedsheets to be Saryuu, who's back was turned to him. He was most likely asleep by this point.

Fey tried his best to keep quiet as he tiptoed across the room, setting his bag on the ground at Saryuu's bedside before sitting down onto it's carpeted surface. Just as he curled against it, preparing to lay his head against his bag as if it were a pillow, Saryuu stirred, rolling over. The bed's springs groaned and squeaked in protest to the motion.

Violet orbs peered at Fey through the darkness, his crisp voice following, "Were you really planning on sleeping on the floor tonight, Fey?"

The ex-Firefly jumped faintly when he realized that Saryuu was indeed alert and conscious at the sounds of his stirring. Fey met the royal purple eyes that seemed to glitter even in the blackness. "What's it matter? I don't need you to look out for me when I'm just a burden that you felt obliged to take in. I can take care of myself," he hardly breathed, though his stare lingered, refusing to withdraw. He didn't sound bitter or resentful, but more so disheartened as he spoke softly into the shadows. Minty coloured irises reflected the same such emotion as they held Saryuu's gaze steadily.

"Fey..." Saryuu whispered softly in return, melancholy shimmering in the depths of those violet pools as a furrow appeared in his brow, "...I waited up for you so that we could talk."

The greenette pursed his lips in thought, his gaze flickering away from the other as he murmured, "Did you mean it?... What you said?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

The room fell silent as Fey tentatively searched Saryuu's face. It was hard to stay mad at him. They were both stubborn, but the greenette could read the truth in his partner's moonlit face. Still, the insecurities always remained somewhere in the back of his mind. A portion of Saryuu's words had been true, after all. What it all depended on was whether Saryuu needed Fey in the same way that the greenette needed him.

Finally, the room's silent atmosphere shattered as Fey quietly asked, the words his own way of indirectly displaying his forgiveness, "How's your head? Do you feel okay? What about your hand?"

Saryuu just barely cracked a smile as he readjusted the way he lay on the bed, making enough room for Fey to slip in next to him before patting at the empty space with his hand. "Really, I feel perfectly fine. You did a splendid job with the dressing, so I suppose I should thank you for that," he paused, adding, "Now come on. Get yourself up from the floor and join me."

Without another delayed moment, Fey pushed himself up from the floor, crawling into the open space next to Saryuu. He gingerly swept his fingertips through the white haired boy's bangs so that he could examine his head wound.

"You should probably get some sleep," a small smile twitched against the greenette's lips as he removed said hand, drawing it against his chest and burying his head deeper into his pillow. It was pretty soft: the most comfortable sleeping space they'd had in a while.

It seemed that Saryuu desired to talk some more, or at least that's what the gleam in his violet eyes said. Especially after fighting with him, it somehow felt as if there was nothing but a mere thread keeping him linked to the ex-Firefly. It was so fragile, and if it snapped apart by any means, then he would be alone again.

If they were to die tomorrow, he wanted to make the most of the peace that they still had. He wanted to talk to his heart's content ; to hear Fey's voice as he responded to him ; and to feel the warmth of Fey's porcelain skin.

It could all be gone tomorrow.

Regardless of his emotions and his fears, his physical being protested. His head continued to throb, though the pain was dull and more faint then before, at least. But his eyelids were heavy, and it was becoming futile to defy it. He struggled just to keep them open, and he was more than positive that he'd be sucked into the realm of sleep the moment he closed them.

Saryuu nodded into his pillow, carefully caressing Fey's bruised cheek before rolling over onto his opposite side and readjusting himself against the mattress. "Goodnight, Fey," he murmured.

"Night," Fey breathed out.

It wasn't until Saryuu had settled into sleep that Fey reluctantly nestled his head into the surface of Saryuu's spine, wrapping his arms around the white haired survivor's frame in hopes to keep Saryuu's frequent nightmares away...


End file.
